Wedding!
by Dryuu
Summary: Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or its characters. Remake of another of my oldies, hopefully with a better ending than the first version. Haven't been really an active writer lately, since my "faith" in the ship started to wane after...well, after a certain character made her debut. Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or its characters.
1. Prologue

"Ash. Hey, Ash! Wake up! What will it take for you to simply wake up, anyway?" Since he hadn't stirred from her wake-up call for too long already, Iris decided to go physical; she grabbed one end of of Ash's blanket, and then pulled on it, hard, causing Ash to roll over and fall to the floor.

The young man bolted awake instantly. "Who died and made you my alarm clock?" he asked, irritated; however, he did get up from the floor. "And just when I was having a good dream, too."

"AND what is it about? Is it about food again?"

Funnily enough, Ash didn't even realize that was a stealthy insult. "How did you know that? You psychic or something?"

Iris stared at him, then she rolled her eyes. "Sounds like a good theory, but, sadly, no," she muttered. "It's just that you kept dreaming about the same subject over and over for the past few days." She then added, with a shrug and a shake of the head, "You're such a kid."

Glaring back at her, Ash quickly changed the subject. "And why did you even wake me up in the first place?"

All Iris had to say was, "It's breakfasttime." and only then did Ash realize that he was hungry. He instantly fled the room, leaving Iris in his dust. "He's such a kid," she said with a shrug of defeat. "Not even a thank you for the wake-up call."

Much to Iris' chagrin, when she made it to the Pokémon Center's cafeteria where everyone was gathered, the situation got caught in reverse: it was _her_ who had to be called out. "You shouldn't make the food wait, you know," Cilan reprimanded her. "You really have terrible taste when it comes to waking up in the morning. Maybe you need a well-patented alarm clock or something."

"Nice to hear that from someone like you," Iris replied, while mumbling something else under her breath that neither Cllan nor Ash could catch.

Not that they were paying attention, anyway, Ash was preoccupied with something else. "What is that you got there, Cilan?" he asked, spotting the latter reaching for the morning paper, but not unlike the kind of newspaper Ash would usually see Cilan was reading these days.

Cilan knew that Ash was thinking about the difference, so he instantly explained, without even waiting for a question. "This newspaper tells us of events that are happening in other countries. For some strange reason, they only release it monthly. Why don't you give it a quick read?" He handed the paper to Ash. "You might see something from your hometown."

"Don't mind if I do." It was rarely a second in his hands, however, when he read something in the very front page which made him scream, startling his friends and making everyone in the cafeteria around them stare at him. "No freaking way!" Completely oblivious that he was now the center of attention in the entire area, Ash got out of his seat and ran out of the room, dropping the newspaper on the ground.

"What was that about?" Iris mumbled, while Cilan picked up the newspaper that Ash dropped. "He embarrassed us in front of a large crowd, again."

"It must have something to do with what he read here. Now let's see." He guessed which article was what caused Ash's outburst, and read the title out loud, enough for Iris and the Pokémon to hear.

_The Highly Anticipated Wedding of Hoenn's Prestigious "Princess" to be held this Saturday_

"That's a pretty long-winded caption," Iris muttered. "Yes, it's a main article, but still...too many bold lettering splattered on a single page..." She rubbed her eyes, since the font alone was straining for her (to be fair, it would be a strain to _anyone_).

"Never mind that. Now why would he go ballistic over this?" Cilan murmured to himself. "Enough that he hasn't even touched his food, too." Cilan being Cilan, he went for the most outrageous conclusion. "Don't tell me that Ash has a princess for a girlfriend? Talk about leaving us out of the loop, don'tcha think?" He and Iris stared at each other for a couple of seconds, before realizing how absurd that would be...for someone like Ash anyway. They both shook their heads at the same time. "NAH. There has to be another..." And Cilan leafed through the newspaper again.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ash by this point had already made his way to the phones, and issued an urgent long-distance call to Hoenn. So far, he couldn't get through; the news of the wedding kept the phone lines directed to Hoenn very busy. On his third attempt, Ash has decided to given up, and decided to make another call, this time for Johto. That call, which, fortunately, was much more successful, was done by the time Ash's friends, having finished breakfast first (they don't see the gravity of the situation like he does yet), have finally caught up to him.

"What took you guys so long?" Ash told them, without even turning to look.

"And what made you run off like that?" Iris retorted, taking a seat right behind him, arms crossed.

Ash didn't even answer her. Instead, he got out of his seat, and went on his way to the door. "I'm going to Hoenn. I HAVE to go there." He didn't need to look at their faces to know that they were completely taken by surprise. "I have to stop that wedding."

This caused Iris and Cilan to be more confused. For the first time, Cilan himself looked like he might explode. "And why exactly do you even have to do that? Who exactly is this princess to you?"

"And just how are you going to get to Hoenn anyway?" Iris added. "That's halfway around the world! And the wedding is, if we follow the International Date Line," Ash stared at her, "I'll tell you about it later...anyway, you have less than a day to get there."

Ash just grinned at her; he then gave them the thumb's up. "I already have thought about that."

But Iris still had a few doubts about the whole thing. "So maybe you did think about going to Hoenn." To herself, she thought, 'Which I seriously doubt...' "But come on. Aren't you pulling this a little too far? About...wait a second, you still haven't told us why you have to go to Hoenn."

"I'll explain everything when I get back," Ash promised, getting up to his seat abruptly. "Right now it's time for me to go. I'll call you when I get there." And he sprinted off again, this time out of the Center.

"You mean, IF you get there!" Iris called after him, even though she knows that he couldn't hear her by now. "You haven't told us how you're supposed to travel around the world in quick time, either!"

Wanting his opinion heard, Cilan cleared his throat to grab Iris' attention. "I'm sure that he's worked it out somehow. Remember that old saying, 'Love will find a way'?"

Iris stared at him. "I thought that, a few minutes ago, we already agreed that _that_ will never be the true reason why he's going to pull a harebrained stunt like this? Just make up your mind already!"

"Actually," Cilan admitted with a small, acute shrug, "right now I'm not so sure myself. He does come up with the wildest ideas, though."

* * *

It was around mid-afternoon in Petalburg City, at the posh hotel where the wedding reception would be held. Instead of preparing for the wedding tomorrow, May was sitting on a comfort chair at the balcony of the 5th-floor room rented out for her, elbows on the railing, looking at the grounds below where preparations are underway. With her thoughts to herself, she didn't even hear her mother knock, let open the door. Heck, Caroline would've gone completely unnoticed for the whole thing, but she didn't want that; she wanted to talk with her daughter.

Only when Caroline tapped May on the shoulder and say her name did the latter finally snap out of her absentmindedness. "You still feeling nervous about tomorrow, dear?" she asked, knowing what was troubling her daughter.

"Why wouldn't I be? Why did he ask me of all people? There are better candidates for this than me. I don't even know if I'm ready."

"I'm sure you'll do fine. He chose you because you're perfect for the part. I know that this will be a perfect wedding."

May turned around to look her mother in the eyes. "I really hope so, Mother. I don't want to ruin this for everyone." She then gave herself a confident nod. "Alright. I'll do my best tomorrow. I'll make you and Dad and everyone in the wedding proud."

"That's the spirit, my girl. Now, how about a couple of refreshments before your rehearsal?"

May gave her thanks. As Caroline left to pick up those drinks, May looked out the window again, her mind wandering to who knows where. 'He's overseas, right? Over at some place they called Anova, or something, right? I wonder if news about this was picked up over there...'


	2. Chapter I

An unspecified amount of time later, when a wedding is just about the three guards assigned to guard the hotel's chapel doors are starting to get bored out of their minds. At least, one of them was open about it.

"To think I actually signed on to this gig," one of the guards muttered. "Some big names in the business in there, and not a commotion in sight. Not even paparazzi or crazed fans."

"Quit your complaining," a second guard said. "You should be counting our blessings that one, there are no criminal activities in sight, and two, that our agency was even selected for the job. It's our_first_ gig in a week, remember? Or do I have to remind you how much you owe me from all the takeout you've been ordering since our assets have been drying out?"

The first guard grumbled something under his breath, but was ignored. Completing the trinity was their superior officer, who Guard #1 was lucky enough to be more lenient than #2. In his own words? "Ah, a day on the job is never dull with the two of you bickering.

"Argue all you want, but this is our job. And we have to make sure that some nutjob doesn't go flying in and interrupt the festivities. Understood?" The other two guards saluted in reply. #3 is about to add something else, until he heard the short-wave phone strapped to his belt cackle to life. "HQ?" he asked as soon as he put the phone to his ear. "Everything's A-okay on this end, so no com-" He suddenly frowned in disbelief. "Wait, what did you say?"

Guard #1 snapped at attention, hoping that this will be the long awaited action he's been pining for. #2 was no slouch either when it comes to showing his excitement. Hypocrite, much?

#3 shook his head as he replaced his phone and turned to his men. "I don't believe this. Remember when I said something about some nutjob flying in to interrupt the wedding inside? Well, it is happening. In every literal sense of the word."

Right on cue, a very deafening roar was heard, echoing all the way from the far eastern horizon. All three guards turned their attention to the source of the commotion. #3 whipped out a pair of binoculars and focused his sights on the small speck that's quickly growing larger by the second. "And there he is now," he said in complete deadpan, "on a Charizard, jut like what HQ reported to us."

All three guards called out their "standard-issue" Pokémon (their security company mascot[s]) Manectric. "Prepare to use Thunder Wave as soon as they're in range, got it?"

But they never stood a chance. Because before the Charizard could even be in range, in a completely unorthodox move, used what looked like Seismic Toss on _his rider_, throwing the latter straight through the remaining distance like a bullet! Judging from the look on the rider's face as he got closer, he didn't exactly expect it either. As he accidentally kneed two of the guards' faces right in the nose(s), he told the equally bewildered third guard, "Sorry 'bout that, but this is something I have to do!"

As the newcomer got to his feet, he was facing three angry guards ( two with bleeding noses!) and three equally ticked Manectric. "Methinks negotiations are out of the question, huh?" he asked sheepishly.

* * *

With all that's going on outside, the priest couldn't even finish his sermons. The normally stoic man of the church could barely contain his own temper anymore, much to the surprise of everyone present. "Will somebody please go outside and tell those guards outside to keep their voices down? How am I supposed to finish my sermon with that racket?"

Before anyone could fulfill the priest's wishes, did Ash, from the outside, kick the chapel doors wide open. "Stop! This is the part where I'm supposed to protest the wedding, am I right?" he said, as he ran past the door and up the aisle. "It's like that in all the wedding movies I ever saw!" He onlt stopped himself and doubled over for a couple of seconds because of how exhausted he was. And it was because of that state that the rest of his speech was almost broken at this point.

This is the translation (or filter), just so we don't have to try to understand what he'll be saying for the next few lines:

"I know this is coming out of nowhere from someone like me, but that bride...she's special to me. I don't want her to go into an unhappy life, starting with this weddig. I know her. She's not the kind of person to go into this kind of commitment at such an early age!

"Please, don't continue with this!"

After that, the entire chapel is in complete silence. Ash himself went mum because his exhaustion finally caught up to him. Ash closed his eyes, waiting for May to cry for him...except that it never even came up. It was the groom, a complete stranger to Ash, who broke the silence. "Hey, you didn't tell me that you were involved with someone else, Elisa! I thought we'd have that promise of marriage since childhood, and then this?"

That should clue Ash in already that there's something wrong. And to rub salt into the wound, did the bride finally speak up just to hammer things home.

"What the heck are you saying? I don't even know you! Who are you to interrupt a precious moment in my life?"

If Ash was in a dream of some sort, this was certainly the wake-up call for him. Opening his eyes, he finally took a good look at the altar, which was a couple of feet away from him. The bride standing in front of him...was NOT May. She was right, they don't even know each other!

"Uh, I think I went to the wrong wedding," Ash muttered sheepishly. "Sorry about that. You can, um, carry on like I was never here." He quickly ran out of the chapel so fast that you might think he used ExtremeSpeed. Not that he was getting out of trouble that easily. The guards he had an altercation withearlier suddenly stood in the chapel's doorframe, blocking his way. They were all battered and bruised from the encounter, so Ash deduced that he's in deeper than he thought. "I'm in big trouble right now, aren't I?" he asked as the guards started surrounding him.

"You have no idea," Guard #3 replied as he slapped a couple of cuffs on Ash's wrists. "Come on, you've got a lot of explaining to do."

As they escorted Ash out of the chapel, Guard #1 muttered to himself, "This is much more excitement than I bargained for in this kind of job. I'll try to be careful when I voice my wishes from now on."

"Amen to that," his fellow guards, overhearing the whole thing, agreed. And this time it was Ash with a look of befuddlement on his face.

* * *

Wild rumors of the ruckus has reached even the upper levels of the hotel mere minutes later, mainly because of the intruder's grandiose entrance. Norman was less than amused; and this was before he could even find out who the cause of the commotion was. Imagine if he _did_. "Now what kind of person would want to ruin a wedding?" he muttered, shaking his head in disapproval.

Just then May and Caroline entered the hotel room, and they just heard the tail-end of his sentence. "Did you just say that someone tried to ruin a wedding, dear?" Caroline asked her husband.

"That's right. Whoever that idiot is, he doesn't have the right to try to ruin a special occasion like what he did. If I wasn't so mature right now, I'd give him a piece of my mind."

"Careful, dear," Caroline kidded, "you're running on empty. You might not even have any to spare." Norman just stared at his wife, looking slightly offended. Ignoring that, mother whispered to daughter, "Believe it or not, but your father can be a little too passionate when it comes to romance, even more than me." May had to try to control her urge to laugh again.

"But isn't it romantic?" May pointed out. "The way I heard it, the intruder went against all odds just to stop the wedding just because the girl was so special to him. I wouldn't mind something like that happening to me." Both her parents stared at her. "I-I was just speaking rhetorically, of course! I didn't mean it, I swear!"

Caroline shrugged, then spoke again. "You're getting your sources wrong, May. I heard it differently. Apparently, he wanted to crash a _different _wedding. You think maybe he's going to crash the wedding we've been planning for_ tomorrow_?"

"Whatever's the case, the newspapers are going to have a field day with this," Norman pointed out. "I talked with the security guards. He arrived on a Charizard, of all things, a rare pair of Pokémon in this region. Not to mention that he probably came from overseas, judging by the calls from their headquarters! Would you believe that?" Norman shook his head.

Not believing what she has just heard, May blinked for a couple of seconds before asking, "You really mean that the trainer used a Charizard in the intrusion? And he came from abroad?" she asked. This time both of her parents stared at her. "It can't be," May muttered to herself in disbelief. "Did you get the name of that intruder, Dad?"

"Come to think of it, I didn't. I never really got too much info from the guards." Norman then frowned. "Why, May? Do you know someone who has a Charizard?"

"It's just a guess, Dad, but if I'm correct, it's someone you both know as well," May said, sounding alarmed. "But what is he doing here in the first place? WHY would he even be here?" She then hurried out the door. "I'll explain everything when I get back, Mom, Dad! See you both later!" And she was gone in a flash.

Neither Caroline nor Norman could fathom what just happened. "Did you have any idea what she was talking about, dear?" Caroline finally asked a couple of minutes after May's departure. "You're a gym leader, you should know about this Charizard trainer, don't you? She did say that we both know him."

Norman shook his head in a quick manner, not unlike how one would look when guilty of something. "I don't know anyone with a Charizard! What is May talking about?"

* * *

"Hey, you, you twerp!" Guard #2 shouted, snapping his fingers, waking Ash up. "Now's not the right time to be daydreaming. Especially you."

"Just when it was getting good, too," Ash muttered, disappointed that his dream got cut off. He needn't be reminded that he's confined at the security guards' office on the first floor of the hotel, with the same three guards, contemptuous at him, standing guard in front of him. "How long are you guys going to hold me here, anyway? I said I was sorry, didn't I?"

"You still caused quite a commotion," Guard #3 retorted. "We're to keep you here until the reception is over."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Like I'll be stupid enough to interrupt that. I'm not here to crash _that_ wedding, how many times do I have to tell you?"

"We're going to hold you for that, too," Guard #1 said sternly. "So let me rephrase my friend's words: you're staying here until that second wedding reception tomorrow is over. Our job is to make sure wedding crashers like you DO NOT succeed. Whether it's the right wedding, in your definition, or not. And that's final."

But Ash never listened to the last sentence. 'Tomorrow, huh?' he told himself. 'I think I got the facts about the International Date Line-thingy wrong. Gotta ask Iris about that later.' Out loud, he shouted angrily, "You can't just hold me like that! I really have to stop that wedding!"

"And we're telling you that that's not going to happen!" Guard B retorted. "Not on our watch!"

Ash was about to raise his voice in anger again, until he saw someone at the office door, staring directly into his eyes. She cleared her throat to make her presence known to the guards. "Excuse me, is he the one who crashed the wedding at the chapel earlier?"

The guards whirled around to spot May, in time for her to address them. "I'll take it from here, officers," she said politely; she even added a quick bow as an apology of sorts. "I'll speak to him about his actions." She then started dragging Ash out of the office, but two of the guards blocked their way.

"Hold it a minute there, young lady," #3 said. "This moron, if he is a friend of yours or not, still admits to planning the wedding of which you're a part of. And you're planning on letting him run wild?"

"You guys talk like I'm not even in the same room," Ash muttered. "I have feelings, you know."

"As I said," May said firmly, silencing Ash with a quick look, "he's now my responsibility. I'll make sure he stays out of trouble." She held three fingers up. "A Wilderness Explorer's Scout's honor."

The three guards looked at one another, then finally the head relented. "Fine. He's your problem now. And there doesn't seem to be any complaints from the reception, so we don't have to hold him.

"One more thing before you go and leave," #3 added, "keep him on a tight leash this time!"

After making a promise, Ash and May hurriedly ran out the door.


	3. Chapter II

Even with the bustle of activity around them, from porters leading guests to the upper rooms to the bustling activity of the upcoming 2nd wedding, it felt like Ash and May were all alone in the world. In the situation they're in now (particularly Ash) that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing.

Before either of them could say anything, one of the guards popped out of the office to address Ash one last time. "Hey you. You're not forgetting something, are you?"

Ash just looked at him quizzically. Reading his expression perfectly, the guard quickly added, "I'm talking about that mount of yours, who seems to be as hotheaded and hotblooded as you are. He's in the back room." Ash cringed at the thought of being reminded of something that he should never forget. "If you think, that after all your shenanigans we're also going to look after your Pokémon, then you have another thing coming!" Ash rushed right past him and into the "impound room", with May right on his heels.

As soon as they entered the room, however, they both neatly sidestepped (Ash to the left, May to the right), having anticipated the Flamethrower sent their way as soon as the door opened. The Flamethrower flared straight through the door, setting off a smoke alarm in the halls. "Well, will you look at that?" May said as Ash, ignoring the ringing sounds, quickly closed the door, so that they won't see the guards scrambling to douse the fire. "Someone's very angry at you. Gee, I wonder why." May took two long steps, reaching Charizard ahead of his trainer before he can even move.

Kneeling down in front of Charizard, May stared the Pokémon straight in the eyes, making him blink twice. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, May," Ash warned, when he noticed what May was doing. "Once Charizard loses it, even I won't be able to control him."

Ignoring him, May reached out to touch Chaizard. "Oh, you poor, poor thing," she cooed, "you must be awfully exhausted. All thanks to your mean old trainer, am I right? From Johto to Anova-"

"Unova," Ash corrected her.

"-and then back here all the way to Hoenn," May didn't even miss a beat, "such a huge trip, even for you." She cast a piercing glare in Ash's direction. "And then he even had the gall to almost forget about you. For shame, isn't it?" Charizard nodded solemnly, sniffling like any other canine Pokémon, even though he's not, uh...never mind.

What happens next, Ash would never believe unless he was right there himself: Charizard was now _pouting, _his flamethrower-for-a-mouth_ quivering_, as if he was just about to cry(!). "Don't you worry any more," May continued, sounding genuinely sympathetic, "I'll make sure he won't put you through the same stunts again."

Ash unhooked Charizard's Pokéball from his belt, rolling his eyes. 'If it was on a Growlithe or even a Cubone,' he thought to himself, 'it would be believable, but on _Charizard_...oh, brother.' He didn't even say the return phrase; one quick flash of red light from the device later, and Charizard's back inside. But before Charizard disappeared into the light, Ash thought he saw the Pokémon stick out his tongue at him. Even when inside the Pokéball, Ash could hear raspberry noises. Ash tried to save face and ignore all that by changing the subject. "Let's go before they decide to lock me up in here."

* * *

Ash and May, on their way out of the building, didn't stop for anything, even when they passed a huge buffet in the dining hall (although Ash had an incline to), nor when they were in the courtyard in front of the hotel. Because of the many people dotted around the area, putting up lavish decorations, it didn't take much on Ash's part to guess that this is where the second wedding will take place. Ash thinks that this place is perfect for calling May out on her role in what he thinks is a mess, but she didn't stop to talk here, going past the half-finished altar and to the area with the flower gardens behind it. Only when she was standing at the crossroad connecting the four fields did May finally stop. But before Ash could even get a word out, May beat him to the punch and called him out instead.

"Of all the dumb things I have ever seen you do, this has to be the crowner of them all. Seriously, what were you thinking?" Ash was about to say something, but once again May (this time unknowingly) cut him off. "But I guess it's all my fault, I really don't know how to send an invitation from halfway around the world."

"The others should have received their invitations by now...as a matter of fact, I just received Misty's RSVP in the mail right before I picked you up, and her reply had her speak for all of them." She waved the envelope in front of his face for him to see. "They'll all be arriving tonight just in time. I know you wouldn't want to miss a huge bash like this, especially for the food," May took time to collect herself, since she thought she would be feeling the same thing if she were in Ash's shoes, "but this is just too much.

"Gate-crashing a wedding that had absolutely nothing to do with you in fact, assaulting security, almost becoming an international scandal, violating around half a dozen aviation laws, irritating the priest, loitering, the list goes on. I said it once, I'll say it again. This is too much, even for someone like you."

When May finally paused in her speech (only because she ran out of breath) did Ash finally find an opportunity to speak. And the first thing out of his mouth wasn't exactly the friendly, congratulatory kind he wanted it to seems to be just as ticked as she is, even before the recent events were considered. "Why would I want to go to this kind of wedding?" he said; May instantly noticed the bitter tone in his voice, a complete contrast to the tone she's usually used to hearing from him. "I'd rather be reliving all my losses as a trainer than go to something like this.

"But, then again, who am I to try and dissuade you, May?" Ash felt that his own shrug that followed was like he was admitting defeat. He closed his eyes, and forced a really cracked, wooden smile as he turned back to face May, with that facade. "I guess congratulations are in order. I can't wait to meet the lucky guy, although I think I have a pretty good idea who it is."

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was May's confused facial expression. "Excuse me?" was all she could say.

"What, is there a simpler way of saying congratulations? I'm letting you go on now, even if what you're doing is for your parents' wishes. That is what this is all about, right? I really want to have a little talk with them..."

"Ash!" May exclaimed, getting even more confused. "What are you even talking about? You're not making any sense at all."

"Your wedding, what else?" Ash shouted back at her. Those words were enough to stun the poor girl while standing up. "The reason why I came here in the first place was never to attend that wedding, but to stop it! That's why I was so desperate to get here!"

Even though Ash has finished his rant, May didn't answer. Being comatose from the shock would probably do that to you. When she finally recovered, she started laughing, much to Ash's chagrin. It was his turn to look utterly confused. She was laughing so hard that she's grabbing her stomach because it's in pain. Her speech was completely broken occasionally by bouts of uncontrollable laughter. "Wait, wait, wait, you're kidding, right? So that's what this is all about, Ash? Because you thought _I_ was getting married? What made you come to that conclusion?"

Before Ash could answer, however, a bellboy appeared with a message for May. "Your family has asked me to send for you, Miss. They're down in the lobby right now."

Feeling a little more relaxed, May took the news in stride. "Thanks, I'll answer it right away." She started walking back in the direction of the hotel, not realizing that she forgot something...or rather, someone.

"Hey, wait!" Ash exclaimed, finally snapping out of his confusion in order to catch up with her. "I don't think our conversation is over yet!" For the first time since she's met him, it seemed to May that Ash was actually thinking. "Are you saying that you're not getting married, May?"

Still acting cheerful, May simply nodded yes. "Of course not, Ash. I should have known, you have little knowledge on marriage customs, don't you? For one thing, I'm too young to even think of getting married!" Ash stopped in his tracks, getting stunned at the revelation again, letting May get ahead of him.

"But I really thought that-" Ash trailed off. The thought of age limits never crossed his mind. After all, like May already deduced, he knows ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about marriage customs. As he watched the girl disappear into the hotel, Ash couldn't help but feel happy, heaving a huge sigh of relief. 'That was certainly a load off my back,' he thought to himself. feeling lightheaded for some reason, he went into the hotel, following right in May's tracks.

* * *

Getting up to the double rooms rented out by the Petalburg Gym Leader for his family was a breeze. Max and Norman aren't there, but Caroline was, and she was very surprised to see her daughter bring Ash. She then had another surprised reaction when May related the whole story.

"So YOU were the wedding-crasher?" Caroline muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. "Now I commend you for your guts, but why would you do something like that?"

May's still getting a laugh out of the whole situation, embarrassing Ash even further than before. "Apparently, he thought I was going to be the one who's tying the knot. But, then again, Ash," she turned her attention to him again, "how did you even come to the conclusion that I was the bride anyway?"

"The article from the newspaper I read did say it was the 'Princess of Hoenn' who was going to get hitched," Ash explained. "The first person I thought of with that title was you."

"But I'm not the Princess of Hoenn," May told him. "Not this time, anymore, anyway. There's a bit of story behind that, but, first and foremost, did you actually read the article instead of just the title? And another thing: Dawn was the one who spread the story about me being a princess." In a slightly annoyed voice, she crossed her arms and muttered, "You know what? To this day I keep wondering where she got the idea in the first place? Never did get to ask her."

May didn't seem to notice Ash cupping his hands behind his head and turning away briefly whilst whistling "innocently" to himself. Caroline did, however, causing her to smirk a little. 'Ah, so that's how it went,' she was thinking, amused. 'Interesting...' Out loud, Caroline said, "Now that you're here, anyway, why don't you stay as a guest for the wedding? Just to make sure you won't pull another stunt like that again," she added, a little sternly this time.

"You won't have to pin that against me," Ash promised. "I am a Wedding-infiltrator no more. Especially not when food's involved, of course."

Shaking her head, May repeated, "Wedding-infiltrator? You just made that name up on the spot, didn't you?"

Meanwhile, Caroline had phoned the hotel's front desk and arranged for a room next door for Ash. "Umm, you really didn't have to do that," Ash started to protest, but she just cut him off.

"It's actually no trouble. That room was already reserved for your friend Brock when he arrives. I just had to pull a few strings so that you can room together. The owner of this hotel is a good friend of Norman and mine, so I can put in a good word, in spite of, ah, first impressions." Caroline thought for a moment before adding, "Think of it as a little reunion. You probably miss a lot of your old friends, or am I mistaken?"

"I guess it would be neat to see them again," Ash said. "Why not?"

Caroline then turned to her daughter. "In the meantime, why don't you introduce him to our groom? Maybe, once Ash meets him, he'll finally understand."

"Got it," May replied. "C'mon, Ash."

"But shouldn't he be preparing for the ceremony?" Ash asked as he followed her out of the room and into an elevator four doors away. May pressed a special button on the elevator panel, which could see was marked "PH". "And, come to think of it, you have yet to tell me who the bride and groom are."

May took a while to answer his questions. "The Princess of Hoenn," she finally said after a couple of minutes. "After I returned from my journey in Johto, magazine publishers picked it up as an official title for distinguished beauties and celebrities once a year. That's what I meant when I told you I'm not the 'Princess' anymore."

"Then who's the princess/bride/whatever and her groom?"

And May still dodged the question, determined to keep Ash in suspense. "Because of my recent Contest performances, the groom selected me as one part of the entertainment program for the reception. And we're meeting him right now, in the Penthouse."


	4. Chapter III

*PING*

A couple minutes of uncomfortable silence later, the elevator doors finally swung open, and Ash and May, the latter in the lead, stepped into the only suite in that floor: the penthouse. Ash let out a low whistle when he saw the display.

To Ash, it didn't look like he was stepping into a room at all; it was more like a museum. Paintings of various Pokémon, showing off their grace and beauty, dotted the four walls around them.

"I didn't even know you can whistle like that," May remarked, genuinely surprised.

"You made me wait until we got here and yet you styill didn't tell me who is the groom," Ash muttered, "but, judging from the things I've seen so far, I can take a wild guess."

Incredulous, May frowned at him. "Oh, really? Go right ahead, and knock me out " May folded her arms, giving a look of bemusement, "with that 'smart deduction' of yours. Probably one far-fetched idea that's not unlike Brock hatching a scheme to attract girls."

'How did she even come up with that kind of analogy?' Ash thought, frowning as well. he gave a rueful shrug, then finally said, "It's Wallace."

May's shoulders sagged, and her crossed arms fell. Around that same time, from another room, did the groom himself stride into view from another room, as if to confirm Ash's deduction. "Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise. I'd expect an impromptu visit from my protégé, but not one that's accompanied by an old friend of hers."

Ignoring May's stunned look, Ash stepped forward and offered his hand to the groom-to-be, who immediately shook hands. "It's nice meeting you again, Wallace. Judging from how you called me, I'll guess that you actually remembered me. How long has it been since Valor Lakefront?"

"I would never forget you, but only by appearance. The name does escape me, though." May recovered from her "coma" and slid into a small snickering fit when she heard that. Wallace turned to her, and then added, "I also know that _she_ frequently speaks highly of you, that's another factor."

May cut into their converstion by saying, "I don't speak highly of him _all_ the time, Wallace. There are a few highs, and then there are low points. And there are much, much more of the latter."

"Oh, really?" Wallace asked with a gleam in his eye, a gleam that insinuates something that May feels she doesn't like. He closed one eye and placed a hand on his chin (what he calls the "thinker's pose"), pretending to reminisce while training his other eye on (blushing furiously) May. "I seem to remember things very differently..."

Thinking that she will never get nowhere suggesting otherwise to Ash, May quickly dodged Wallace's knowing glances and changed the subject. "Ash, for a long time I kept you in the dark about who's going to get married. How did you even figure it out?"

Ash looked like he was relishing May's dumbfounded expression, smirked, and then started acting all smug about it. He started his explanation by pointing out the clues. "First, there is the misunderstanding I had regarding what your, um, involvement in this wedding is. I thought you were the bride, but you told me you were actually scouted by the groom to perform a show at the reception. I figured, he would never even have thought of scouting you unless it's someone we know who's a high-profile celebrity and a Pokémon Coordinator. There would probably be other Coordinators that fill that profile better, but then you showed me this room.

"The curtains, the carpet, all with streaks of blue and green. If I remember correctly, that's Wallace's favorite colors; that's from the pictures I see of him whenever I actually read some lifestyle news article. Then there's the artwork decorating the room. All of the paintings are pretty spiffy, but the fountain in the very middle of the room, displaying a statue of Milotic, that is a dead giveaway, since it's Wallace's signature Pokémon. That pretty much narrowed it down, didn't it?"

'I don't believe this,' May thought, her shoulders sagging in defeat. She then forced a (cracking at the edges) smile on her face while initiating a very, very slow clap. "Good job. I didn't know you had it in you as a sleuth."

By contrast, Wallace was actually pretty impressed, and his clapping was way a lot more enthusiastic. "If you managed to figure that out then," he challenged, "perhaps you might have also guessed who I'm getting married to?"

Ash looked like he was about to gloat, judging by the expression on his face. And it seems that he has the right to. "It's Winona, the Fortree Gym Leader."

Yet again, Wallace was impressed. He nodded solemnly, indicating that Ash guessed right again. "So then, Ash, what's your brilliant deduction this time?" he asked, speaking for himself and May.

The gloating expression changed into a sheepish one. "No deductions, actually. I really did just guess this time."

Both May and Wallace just stared at him, both dumbfounded. And then the former slapped herself on the forehead in embarrassment. "Bravo, Ash," wallace said, clapping his hands again. "I should probably start recommending you to the police academy; your powers of observation are, surprisingly, very keen."

"Wallace, this guy couldn't even tell that every single pair of blue-haired guy and violet-haired girl, with a talking Meowth, are the same people chasing him for who-knows-how-long," May interjected.

"Hey, don't act like you were never fooled by their disguises," Ash muttered right back.

Sensing that a heated exchange would be imminent, Wallace quickly changed the subject, and it's something he knew would grab both their interests. "We've been talking here for too long; how's about a meal?" Needless to say, it worked like a charm.

* * *

Finding themselves in the (where else?) dining room, Ash spent half the time there stuffing his face full, and the other half telling Wallace and May (and Max when he later caught up to them, having been told by Caroline of recent events) of his adventures in Unova, finishing with, "And then i jumped on Charizard, took off half-way around the world, and now we're here. You all know the rest."

"You all know I have a preference for water-types," Wallace said, "but your Charizard seems to be quite an interesting character. To think you'd be able to circumnavigate the globe in a matter of hours. It's remarkable."

Getting a little impatient, Max clapped his hands together to grab everyone's attention. "Enough about that, I don't want you to talk about a Pokémon I already know, my interest is in the new kinds of Pokémon you found in Unova. Can I see them? Please?"

"Sure, why not?" Ash was about to reach for the Pokéballs in his belt until he came to a realisation, regarding something that he should have remembered a long time ago already. "ACK! I forgot all my Pokémon back in Unova!" Everyone stared at him.

* * *

"You're such a kid." This was the first thing Iris said when Ash made contact with his friends back in Nimbasa City via videophone. "What kind of trainer would forget his own Pokémon whenever you have to go somewhere?" Ash's Pokémon seem to be sharing the same sentiment, as they were now trying to push Iris out of the screen's coverage, getting Ash's attention, and not in a friendly way, either. "See what I mean? You'd better find a way to make it up to them, or else who knows what happens."

Ash looked apologetic, wringing his hands in front of the screen as if he was in prayer. "I know, I know." In that instant he immediately thought of a way to make it up to his team. "How's about I transfer all of you here? That way, you guys can see a little of Hoenn before we leave, and have a good time at the wedding, too?"

The lights in their eyes indicated that their collective contempt got switched to adoration again. Ash breathed a sigh of relief. He seems to have gotten out of hot water, for now. And then Ash remembered a brand new problem in the horizon. Cilan seemed to have noticed it, too, and was just glad to point it out. "Because Pikachu doesn't like to go into a Pokéball, Ash, transferring him would be a problem."

Judging by his face, it was like a wall of bricks hit the front of Ash's face when he came to that realization again. "What am I supposed to do? I was in so much of a hurry that I really forgot everything!" He started "praying" again, this time to Pikachu, in hopes of being forgiven. "I'm really, really sorry about this, Pikachu, but unless you get over your fear of getting into a Pokéball, then I can't transfer you with everyone else! I promise I'll make it up to you, I swear!"

Surprisingly, Pikachu reacted well to rodent just nodded in understanding to his trainer, before jumping off view and walking away. "He seems to take 'rejection' really well," Iris cut in the silence that followed Pikachu's departure.

Ash couldn't tell for sure if Iris said that with her usual sarcastic tone, or was actually being sincere. "Did you really have to call it that?" he asked.

* * *

One full-team transfer later, and Pikachu would have his revenge after all. The mere thoguht of setting foot on a new region excited Ash's Unova roster. Think like they've eaten nothing but sugar for the past couple of hours. TONS of sugar.

The only sane ones are Snivy and Tranquill, being the most mature of them, managed to keep cool and remain in place. Of course, Ash had something to tell them off with, too, with good reason. He's the only one who's chasing after his Pokémon (Wallace only watched since he's both dumbfounded and confused again, and Max is too much of a fan to see them in their natural element to even try to stop them).

"Hey, how's about fiving me a helping hand here, you girls?" Ash asked the two female Pokémon as he simultaneously clamped his arm around Boldore before he could (literally) spin a Sandstorm and grabbed Oshawott flying around via Aqua Jet with the other hand.

Judging by the sighs they both let out, both females only obeyed and helped their trainer begrudgingly in incapacitating the rest of the Unova team. Think maybe that they conspired with Pikachu to have a little revenge or something?

Ash was lying face first on the floor when all the chaos have finally subsided (for now, anyway, judging by the meaningful glint in some of his mons' eyes). He went up to a sitting position to glare at his (human) companions. "Do you guys take pleasure in seeing me like this? Far as I can tell, I think you do."

"A little bit, yeah," Max replied, smirking.

"Thanks a bunch," Ash muttered in return.

Wallace, meanwhile, dodged the question with a pretty good excuse. "I'd be thrilled to see more of your Pokémon in action, but if you'll excuse me, I still have to prepare for my big day. I'll see the two of you later." And so he left.

It was only when Wallace subtly pointed it out that Ash realized that someone's missing. "Hey, wait just a minute, where'd May go?"

"While you were sweating bullets trying to keep your Pokémon from wrecking the hotel, she already took off. Don't forget, she has to get ready, too, for that special show that she's going to put up for the reception.

"If you're going to go look for her," Max added when he saw Ash spring back to his feet, "try the Petalburg Gym. Since it's League off-season, Dad really has no use for it right now, and she uses the place to rehearse."

* * *

What they didn't know was that May wasn't at the gym. Not yet, anyway. She first went back upstairs to her room, stopping by in the adjoining room to greet Caroline and Norman, whose brief disappearance he attributed to League business.

"I heard that that friend of yours was causing another commotion downstairs," Norman said at the sight of his daughter. "He's certainly rowdier than I last remembered him."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't you worry, Normie, I can assure you that Ash doesn't seem to have changed a bit from when we last saw him."

May shrugged. "For his sake, Dad, I'll tell you that he's trying to _stop_ the commotion. None of it his fault, directly, anyway." And then she remembered why she was there in the first place. "I just stopped by to tell you folks I'm going back to the gym to rehearse."

With a quick goodbye, May set off, but not before noticing an envelope tucked underneath the door to her room. Feeling a little lazy, May didn't even bother to open the door; she just pulled the object out. There's something written on the envelope, a pretty long heading (if that's strange, keep in mind the article that started this whole fiasco):

_To the Girl for Whom My Marriage was Nearly Ruined_

May winced, thinking back to what she might imagine was the chaos Ash caused in his arrival. In her hands, May felt that the contents were a little thicker than what she'd expect. "I wonder what could be inside? Am I getting threatened or something? And why leave it here like that?"

Wary of the envelope because of that heading, May nonetheless ripped it open, less enthusiastically this time, not like when she picked up the package. Inside were a folded piece of paper and a videotape. 'Curiouser and curiouser,' she thought to herself.


	5. Chapter IV

May would have watched the videotape, shedding some light on a certain matter, if she weren't being bothered by two things. One, she's still afraid of what the video might contain (for some reason she thought back to a horror movie Max made her watch a while back that was about a haunted videotape). And two, she has a little problem borrowing the video player (the only one in the hotel, and perhaps even the whole town) from the staff.

"Please, please, please," she was telling the concierge at the front desk, even wringing her hands.

"I'm sorry, but if it isn't an important matter, the player cannot be borrowed outside appointments," the concierge said. "And you should know that the video player, and the recorder, is going to be used for the second wedding later."

"But I'm telling you, I'm not even sure if what's on the tape is important to me or not," May said.

The concierge said nothing, and just gave the girl a final, apologetic shrug before returning to his work. May had to step aside to let a guest walk up to the desk and register his family.

Defeated, May walked up to the sofas at the south wall of the entrance hall (opposite the register desk) and fell (not sat) down. "So much for this thing," she said, dangling the tape with her fingers like it was infected with infectious goo or something. "So now what?"

May was so lost in thought that she didn't notice someone take a seat next to her until she spoke up. "My, I left you quite a conundrum, didn't I?" That certainly caught May's attention, that her surprised reaction gave the woman a quick laugh. "I should've brought a camera. Pardon me for saying this, but that look on your face is something to be saved for future generations."

Although she's still in a state of shock, May has abruptly got back to her feet and has gone-about-face to confront the newcomer. "YOU were the one who sent me this tape? Wait, does that mean you're the bride at the wedding that my friend, uh, invited himself into?"

The woman, still getting mildly amused at May (nothing malicious in tone, though), only nodded. "Yes, it was me. Now, come with me." She also got to her feet, and was already heading for the elevator hallways before calling back, "I think I can help you."

Curiosity won out over her fears, so May was immediately at the woman's heels. "You're not gonna take revenge for nearly having your wedding ruined," May asked uneasily when she caught up in front of an elevator door, "are you?"

"I don't know where you got that idea, but I assure you, revenge is the farthest thing in my mind right now."

The elevator door opened, and the twosome got in. May, feeling nervous this time, never even got to look at which floor the woman pressed. Only tense silence filled the compartment as May, at first, couldn't find any words to string together. When she finally had, the words were, "Um, you still haven't told me your name."

"Oh, of course, I forgot to introduce myself. I would have thought your friend may have told you already. He should have heard my name at the altar. It's Elise, by the way." She held out her hand, and May, albeit still uncomfortable, shook it.

When the elevator doors opened at the third floor, Elise strode out without a word, and May followed her.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of town...

"I never would have thought I'd be going to a gym with getting its badge the farthest thing from my mind," Ash told himself, arms crossed in deep thought.

"Hey, hey, you forgetting that time we made a detour to Brock's place before heading for May's Kanto Grand Festival?" Max chimed in. "You hit yourself on the head, and suffering from short-term memory loss or something?"

Feeling a little insulted, Ash frowned at him. "What short-term memory loss? That was a long time ago," he countered. "And my brain's working perfectly fine, if you may ask."

"Recent events certainly show otherwise," Max said under his breath.

Ash was just about to ignore that remark when something else came to his mind. "Now wait just a minute, you still didn't tell me, why are you even here with me? I'ts not like I need help finding the gym, I've been here before! Maybe you were the one suffering memory loss, huh?"

"I wasn't here to guide you, Mom sent me to tag along, to act as a buffer."

"A what?" Ash asked, confused.

Max shrugged. "Beats me what's going on with my mom's head when she said that." Ash was about to say something else, but Max added, "I looked it up before we left. A lot of definitions, but I doubt Mom's gonna tell me precisely what she really meant."

Dismissing the subject for the time being, Ash and Max proceeded up the stone steps leading to the gym. The first thingthey saw thee was Kenny, Norman's assistant (now protege, according to Max) sweeping the front yard.

"Hey there!" Max called out to him, grabbing the latter's attention.

Kenny immediately stopped his chore when he heard Max (although Ash guessed that he wanted a good reason just to stop). "Hey there yourself, Max," he replied. "What are you doing back here in the gym? Aren't you supposed to be helping out with the wedding?"

"Blech," Max made a contorted face when he said that (and it looked like he really meant it), "I never cared about that mushy stuff. Our family's only got involved since Wallace wanted May to perform and Dad is friends with the bride and groom. So instead I get to do babysitting." He jerked a thumb in Ash's direction.

It was around this time that Kenny actually noticed Ash. "Hey, aren't you-?"

"The guy who made friends with May and my so-called 'babysitter' here," Ash gritted his teeth, "and challenged the leader of this gym? That's me."

"No, I don't recognize you for that. You're the guy who, in the news, crashed a wedding and had almost caused an international incident." Kenny then nodded to himself, then pointed the other two boys to the TV that's sitting on the gym's porch. "Yes, that's where I recognize you from. That was quite a stunt."

"It was all over the news?" Ash asked, aghast. He hung his head in shame. "Is that what I'm going to be known for for the rest of my life?"

That who answered wasn't Max or Kenny, it was someone from behind Ash, back at the bottom of the gym's steps. "What else would you expect, that people would just easily forget an incident like that? You did disrupt a televised event, or didn't you know that?"

"Stay out of this, Misty!" The words were already out of Ash's mouth before he would even realize who he was speaking to. And then a couple minutes more of stunned silence. And then he reacts.

Around this time Max and Kenny also took notice of the group of three standing right there: Misty and Brock. And they were both sporting smiles on their faces, although all for different reasons.

Brock walked up the steps to join Ash and Max, followed closely by Misty. "Good to see you again, Ash," he said, finally breaking the silence, as he patted Ash on both shoulders. "I take my eyes off of you for one region, and you go do something like this. I didn't even know you had it in you."

"Hey, didn't we already talk about this?" Misty reprimanded him. "You talk like you're complimenting him for the feat. You should be doing the exact _opposite_."

"The way you two talk about Ash," Max piped in, "he's like the son and you are his par-"

"Don't say it!" Brock and Misty said in unison, Brock as loud as an Exploud while Misty's was practically a hiss.

For Ash, it looked like the exchange happened between these three before, so he caught on pretty fast, actually. "You guys actually an item now?" He actually gave Brock a genuine thumbs up, twinkle smile and wink combo. Something that for some reason unnerved everyone. "Good job, Brock, finally found someone, huh?"

"Uh, thanks," Brock started, before adding in a whisper, "but she's more of a overbearing matron babysitter, if you ask me. I couldn't make any progess with any more ladies now that she's been sticking around." And just so you know, I can't get any progress with her, either, with you-know-who poised and ready with a Poison Jab or two."

It would have been unfortunate for Brock that Misty could hear everything he said, but she chose to ignore it...for now. "Don't think you're out of the woods yet, young man," she addressed Brock in a warning tone. To Ash, she said, "And you're still in hot water yourself.

"What were you thinking, pulling off a stunt like that? It is-"

Misty couldn't finish what she was saying, since Ash cut in, "I already got an earful about it from several people and May. I already learned my lesson, okay? No more of the same lectures."

That would warrant Misty blowing her top already, but Kenny finally decided to bring in a question that's been burning through his mind since they all got here. "Before you all get into a fight, mind if I ask something? What are you all doing here?"

"Well, I'm glad you finally asked," Ash said, relishing the chance to shut Misty up.

"But it's something that I asked before you brought in a circus," Kenny pointed out.

"I, er, we," he gestured to the whole group, "came to see May."

"Really? Why?" three voices behind Ash asked, all coy and mischievious in tone. He just ignored that.

Kenny looked confused. "If you were looking for her, why come here?"

At this, Ash looked like a reflection of Kenny's confusion. "But, isn't she rehearsing here?"

"Yes, she would, like she always does, but she's certainly not here now."

Ash crossed his arms, looking worried. "Then where did she go?" He turned to the others. "Am I just being paranoid-"

"Again," Misty snidely inserted, but Ash just ignored that.

"-or is she in some sort of trouble right now?" Brock said, finishing Ash's train of thought. "Maybe it is just paranoia, but we should just head back to the hotel, just in case. Where else would she go, huh? We can check there."

* * *

Back at the hotel, May still couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling creeping through her entire body since Elise hasn't said a word when they reached what May presumed to be the latter's hotel room. The first thing May noticed when Elise motioned for her to sit on one of the beds was a pile of suitcases on the foot of the other bed. While May did as she was told, Elise started looking around the room, going through the closet, the bedside drawers, everything.

"That's right," May said, suddenly realizing something, "shouldn't you be on your honeymoon with your groom right about now? Why are you still here?" She groaned. "Oh, no, don't tell me Ash really did ruin the whole thing, and you never did get to tie the knot?"

Elise looked at May, slightly amused, and then sighed ruefully. "I guess I never did tell you. Even with your friend's - his name is Ash, eh - arrival, we were able to proceed with the whole ceremony. That's why I kept telling you I'm not out for revenge for anything."

"But, why are you still here then? And what are you looking for, anyway?"

"I'll take a raincheck on that first question. But for the second one: I'm looking for my hubby's tape player. He's into nostalgic stuff, so he has one. It's also why he had our wedding recorded by videotape, just so you know. Now where did he put that bulky thing?" she asked rhetorically, starting to look frustrated.

"Looking for this?" someone from outside the room asked as he walked in, holding up the tape player in question. Elise breathed a sigh of relief, not at the man, but at the player itself, was May's interpretation.

"Right in the nick of time, Christopher," Elise said, with triumph in her voice. "If you'd please connect it to the TV, and maybe we can finally help out our young friend here. Just what were you doing with it anyway? Tinkering and messing 'round again?"

While Chris connected the player to the TV, Elise introduced him. May need not be told that he was Elise's husband, actually. "That friend of yours, he almost ruined everything, you know," Chris told May once he's finished, and Elise handed him the tape to be put in the player.

"I've been hearing that a lot lately," May agreed. "I really can't help but feel partly responsible for what he did. Your wife seems to think so as well, considering what she wrote to me..." She waved the envelope that contained the tape in the air.

"What? Lemme see that!" Chris immediately swiped the envelope from May's hands.

Just as he was finished reading the heading, did Elise already start up the recording, and turned on the TV. Which would be all fine and dandy, had it not been for the "snowy" images on the screen. "Chris, what did you do to the player this time? The video's a bad mess!"

"I didn't do anything to the player, and even if I did, those snow problems are on the tape, not the player!" Chris retorted.

Elise shook her head. "Oh, brother," she muttered, rubbing her forehead in annoyance. She heard the preacher on the video give his address. "At least the audio's good. That's what matters right now..."

Quickly grabbing a remote from the top of the TV, she sat down next to May (Chris remained standing) and kept her thumb on the fast-forward dial, and never let go. "What a way to have your precious moments recorded," Elise muttered to herself. "Let's just get to the important part. Coincidentally, it was during the part where Chris and I were exchanging vows, which should be an important moment for us, too. Go figure.

"Ah, here we go." Elise finally let go of the dial. "Now, let's see if you can recognize someone's voice."

"But, just a minute," May said, suddenly realizing something, "how did you know when it's the right-" She never got to finish that one. Once Ash's unmistakable voice came on, the words got stuck in her mouth.

_"I know this is coming out of nowhere from someone like me, but that bride...she's special to me. I don't want her to go into an unhappy life, starting with this wedding. I know her. She's not the kind of person to go into this kind of commitment at such an early age!_

_"Please, don't continue with this!"_

Satisfied with the look on May's face, Elise shut off the player and the TV. "Why am I not surprised that you'd turn up looking like that?"

"Did Ash actually say all that?" May finally said, her voice lower than a whisper.

"Like I said, you should have recognized his voice in the video even though the scene itself is literally vague."

"We delayed our honeymoon...for this?" Chris spoke up, but Elise silenced him with a quick look.

May quickly shook her head. What came next was your typical denial. "No way, no way, there is just no way that it was Ash who said that. He's not the smartest person I know by a long shot, and, and...those are the kinds of things that a romantic would say. Ash is anything BUT."

"Maybe, but the way I hear it, he seems to be, ah -what's the right word - catching on. He just hasn't realized it. But, of course, you know him better than I do."


	6. Chapter V

"Methinks you shocked her into a coma," Chris finally said, waving his hands in front of May's eyes as a test. "Great job, my beloved."

Elise nodded, but it didn't look like she noticed at all. "Our work is done here," was all she said. To Chris, she added, "We can go on that honeymoon now." She picked up one of the suitcases on the bed, and started walking.

"You're just gonna leave her like that?" But Elise was already on her way to the door. Chris didn't move from his spot, though, incredulous at what his bride is doing. He only moved out of impulse when May abruptly got back to her feet. Wait a minute!" she exclaimed after Elise. "I just want to know one thing first before you go!"

Having caught up to Elise just at the foyer, Chris saw that there was a smile on her face just as May said that. "You were expecting that, weren't you?" he asked.

"What do you think?" Elise answered with a wink. She turned around to face May again, asking her, "And what would that be?" to Chris he thought that maybe she was asking rhetorically...he can't be sure.

May took a deep breath before firing her question. "Why show all of this to me?"

"A couple of reasons, actually." Elise counted them down with her fingers. "Reason one, that boy, as dim as his lights were, looks to be a good one. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that you're special to him, and, judging by the way you reacted when you heard him on the recording, you felt likewise. That should be the beginning of something beautiful, no?

"Reason number two: if someone would keep him 'on a very tight leash' from now on, he wouldn't be crashing any more weddings, now, would he not?" At the last part, May found herself giggling a little. "Ah, there we go, a little smile on that pretty face. First time I've seen it since we've met, actually."

"Then this might be my first time, too," May spoke up, "saying thank you, that is."

Elise nodded. "Now I think it's really time to go," she told Chris, this time genuine. "My work is done here."

Without anything else to do, May followed the couple out of the room. Even though she only met them that afternoon, she wished them luck in their honeymoon, like you would old friends. As May watched them ride the elevator down to the ground floor, did the second, adjacent elevator, opened up.

"May! There you are!"

It was Dawn. May was surprised to see her, but not as surprised when Dawn suddenly hugged her after stepping out of the elevator. "Um, Dawn, i know we haven't seen each other for a couple of months, but is it enough for you to hug me like this?"

"Sorry 'bout that." Dawn let go of her friend. "But I just can't help it! I heard over the Pokétch from Max that you've gone missing or something. I've got reason to think you've been kidnapped, or worse."

May rolled her eyes. "Max has been telling tall tales again. Didn't I warn you about that last time it happened? Anyway, never mind that now, I'm in no danger." May was lost in thought for a second. "Although, now that you're here, there's something I need to ask you. Let's go somewhere, we can talk, like the lobby, perhaps?"

* * *

It was convenient that Ash and the gang set foot in the hotel's lobby just as Dawn and May came down the stairs. As soon as their eyes met, did the two parties meet in the middle. "Where have you been?" Ash asked first.

May looked away, her cheeks puffing up. A little understanding on the situation than the rest, Dawn spoke up for her. "Uh, I think May needs to concentrate on her routine first, so she doesn't need any distractions. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to go." The words were hardly out of her mouth yet May was already making a beeline for the door. Dawn had to double her pace to catch up.

"If May doesn't want distractions, then why are you inviting yourself along?" Brock called after her.

"Girls stuff," Dawn replied over her shoulder. "None of you will ever understand, of course."

And of course, Misty would look offended by that comment. "Wait a minute, why do I feel like I'm being left out here?" she muttered. "Wait for me!" But as she went through the hotel door, the pair was already gone.

Brock couldn't help but chuckle at her predicament. "Maybe she's just not girly enough," he muttered to his friends.

Even though Misty was still outside, she could hear that loud and clear, judging by the following shriek: "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Brock really should have toned his voice lower.

"I think you should run," Max advised.

"I think you're right," Brock replied, quickly taking a step backwards as he saw Misty march back inside. "Smell ya later!" And he was off, faster than an Arcanine with ExtremeSpeed. Ash and Max neatly sidestepped out of the way just as Misty roared past them, chasing after Brock.

"Has he been spending time with Gary, too?" Ash asked Max.

"Who knows?" Max only shrugged. "Who knows? It's either that or he's just had heard enough jokes about his eyes." He was about to say something else, but a ringing from the PokéNav strapped to his belt interrupted him. It was like he's already forgotten that he's with Ash when he picked up his Nav to answer. "Yeah, I get it. We'll be right there." After putting the Nav back in place, he said to Ash, "Come on, there's someone who'd like to meet you.

"You're becoming really very popular, you know that?"

Ash frowned. "You make it sound like it's a bad thing."

"It is if the one who wanted to see you is the bride," Max was quick to say; Ash had a double-take when he heard that. Before Ash could say anything else, Max looked up, and then frowned as someone walked up to them, coming in from another stairwell. "And here I thought she'd be waiting for us in her room."

* * *

Kenny was surprised when Ash and Max showed up at the front steps of the Petalburg Gym, looking for May. But it doesn't compare to when he saw May and Dawn arrive. "I would have thought you guys have crossed paths by now, yet why are you here?" he muttered, scratching his head.

"Listen, Ken," May interrupted before he could say anything more, "my dad says he wants you to run some errands at the hotel. Why don't you go there and meet with him? I think it's urgent. I'll keep an eye on the gym while you're gone."

"A big wedding is in just a few hours, and your Dad wants to send me on an errand now?" Kenny muttered, incredulous. "Isn't that a bit short-notice?"

Looking a bit shifty, May turned away. "Okay, if you want to incur Dad's wrath...need I remind you what happened last time you pressed him again?"

That convinced the young man. "Well, I'm sure that you can look after your own home. I'll be seeing you later." And he was off in a flash, completely ignoring the fact that he's still wearing his gi, not the type of clothes you'd wear outside the gym.

"Didn't know you had it in you," Dawn muttered. "I couldn't even get a single word out in the whole exchange."

May grinned. "We all have our hidden facets, Dawn. That was mine. Now, on to business." May turned serious again as she turned to face Dawn. "I never did get to ask you a certain question before I returned to Johto. We haven't seen each other in a while either, so that question vanished in the back of my mind. But recent events made me remember that question today."

"You do realize that you've said questions too many times that is regular, right?" Dawn asked.

Ignoring Dawn's attempt to lighten the mood, May cut to the chase. "You called me the Princess of Hoenn, Dawn. Tell me: who ever gave you that idea anyway?"

Dawn's reaction was...pretty bland to describe, actually. "And here I thought you're going to ask me some fatal, world-ending question," she muttered. "Is that really all?"

"I'm dead serious, Dawn. So, are you going to tell me, or not?" May crossed her arms, looking a little unimpressed. "If you don't really know, then it's fine by me, I can just have to ask someone else, like Brock."

With a shrug, the other girl finally relented. "I don't see the big deal you're making about it, but oh well...it's Ash."

Something just clicked inside May. Yes, she was suspicious, but she still wasn't expecting _that_ answer. And this time Dawn quickly caught on. "You look like you've been hit with a bombshell or something. And something else tells me that I'm only seeing half the picture here."

Instead of giving her a straight answer, May grabbed Dawn's hands and looked straight into her eyes. "Tell me the whole story. Please. Just everything."

This only confused the other girl more. "I guess you should be curious about why he, of all people, would call you that, so..."

_Dawn got up from her seat as soon as Ash returned from his phone call. "Who was that on the phone, Ash?" Dawn asked him. "I would have joined in, but I thought it might be a private matter. It is long-distance after all, right?"_

_"Long-distance?" Ash repeated, raising an eyebrow. "It's still in the same region; Nurse Joy just pointed it out, remember?"_

_"Never mind the distance, Ash," Brock cut in. "Who did call you, anyway? I'm really curious myself."_

_"It's our old friend from Hoenn, Brock. The bubbly Petalburg City Coordinator, May."_

_"What did you just say?" Brock nearly burst out laughing when he heard that. "You did not just call her the way I think you did, did you, Ash? And why, may I ask, would you call her 'bubbly', anyway?"_

_Ash shrugged. "Eh, it's just spur of the moment, I suppose." _

_Shaking his head, Brock said, "I seriously doubt that it's going to win any 'nickname of the year' awards any time soon. Not to mention how May would react if she finds out you call her that behind her back."_

_"I said it was just a spur of the moment, okay? Alright already!" Ash pouted, and crossed his arms. "It's not like I called her that because she's an airhead and ditzy or anything..."_

_This time both Brock and Dawn snickered. "Welp. You're the one who said it, Ash," Brock replied, "not me." He cleared his throat loudly, and then added, "You'd better try to find a new nickname for her, and fast."_

_"Why do you even have to do that?" Dawn piped up. "For Ash's sake, May wouldn't probably even know that Ash had a nickname for her."_

_Her suggestion fell upon deaf ears. Ash has crossed his arms and closed his eyes, completely lost in thought (a very rare sight)."By golly, I think I got it!" Ash suddenly exclaimed, banging his right fist down on his left palm. "Say, Brock, remember when we first arrived in North Petalburg?"_

_"How can I forget that?" Brock said it like he was feeling insulted. "The horde of crazed fans of Norman the Petalburg leader and his family leaving you and your Pokémon ragged...no offense, Ash, but that's the most hilarious situation I've seen you in since, well, ever. But why bring that up?"_

_"Thinking about it, well, Norman's a pretty powerful person in this city, and I am not talking about his skills as a gym leader. Popular with the masses; popular in fact that it still traumatizes me," Ash winced to emphasize that point, "it's like they're being treated like royalty. So there you have it," he grinned, "from now on, we can call May the..."_

"And the rest, you can probably guess," Dawn finished. "The reasoning of those two sometimes...and they call _us_ girls weird!" Since May was thinking on her own, Dawn's attempt at humor fell upon deaf ears...yet again. 'Ugh,' she thought, painfully getting reminded of that past event that she just related, 'déjà vu.'

"You know, May, Ash really seems to hold you in high regard. I never did ask, but you two were close, weren't you?"

May threw up her hands in frustration. You'd think she'd make the "typical" reaction when asked these things, but... "I don't know. It just gets me all confused and everything. You were right about one thing, Dawn: boys' reasoning, especially _his_ reasoning, is complicated."

"Huh," Dawn muttered, speechless for a couple seconds. "I would've thought you'd be all in denial over something like this in an instant, May." Obviously she was expecting that typical reaction, too.

And May didn't attempt to make one the following minutes, either. "Oh, how I would deny it alright in the past, but circumstances change." Her face clouded when she added, "I always see an idiot that never grasps the concept of people's feelings, especially if they're directed at him, but then all this happened.

"You told me he's the reason I am called the Princess of Hoenn. And then, when he found out that the 'Princess' is getting married, he raced halfway across the world just to crash it, thinking it was me." Dawn gasped. A genuine one, at that. "A lot of people, me included, made fun of him after that, but then the bride of the wedding he crashed came to me, and let me listen to a recording of what he said at the ceremony." She repeated what she had heard Ash say from the tape word for word; again, Dawn, gasping for air for each sentence May made was nearly breathless. "That stupid Ash...why can't he just make up his mind already on whether he's completely dense or not?"

When May turned to face Dawn, she saw that the latter was nodding and rubbing her chin in thought the whole time. There's a weird, knowing smile forming on her lips. "You're frustrated about all this, aren't you, hmm-mm?" Dawn asked, with shifty eyes. "Misty told me she's given up on him a long time ago. But you...you're not going to be defeated by his denseness, are you? You didn't put up a white flag or anything. Especially not, as you said, after all that happened."

"Denseness? Is that even a word?" May asked, like it was the only word she heard.

"Ep-ep-ep, never mind the details. Maybe the problem here is not Ash's dens...oh, fine, let's call it obliviety-"

"Uh, I don't think that's a word, either, Dawn; which school did you graduate from again?"

This time Dawn was getting really annoyed. 'Is she misleading me from the subject on purpose?' she thought, her left eye starting to twitch. "Will you just let me finish, May?" The other girl dejectedly gave her the go-ahead gesture. "Finally. Now, where was I again? Oh, right...

"Maybe, just maybe, Ash's denseness...obliviety...whatever we call it, isn't the only problem you're dealing with here. There is also the small matter of telling him outright what you feel." May's eyes lit up, like she was waking up to a new truth or something. And Dawn knows it, so she decided to press on. "Way I figured it, the only reason why he was so dense in the first place was because all those girls who admitted to liking him never said so, now, did they?

"I now gave you leverage over all those girls, and Misty. And you better believe me when I tell you, there are a lot of them. So, May, just how do you plan on using that advantage?"


	7. Chapter VI

That question was burning in the back of May's mind when the two returned to the hotel. Not that Dawn was expecting her to come up with an answer any time soon (she thought it to be a rhetorical question) but she'd like to hear one nonetheless. This is why Dawn insisted that they return to the "main event", to watch what will unfold now that her friend is armed with what she thought was vital information.

"Ash? Where are you?" Dawn called out as soon as she set foot in the lobby. "May has something that she wants to tell you..." She said the last line in a sing-song voice that people hearing it would think of it as a rhyme (never mind that both sentences ended with the same word anyway).

Either way, May was looking both embarrassed and annoyed by it. Before she could voice her protest, however, did Brock come up to them. "Where have you two been?" he asked. "You should have been here an hour ago! It felt like you were gone for eternity, y'know?"

"Why?" May asked. "Did something happen while we're gone?"

Brock looked at her like she's gone out of her mind or something. "Um, hello?" He knocked on her head a couple of times like he was thinking it was hollow. "Earth to May. Anybody home? Aren't you supposed to be practicing?" Thinking he still isn't getting through to her, Brock coughed the words "wedding performance program" out loud. Not that he needed to, actually.

Panic crossed the faces of both girls. "Oh, no, I can't believe I forgot all about it!" May exclaimed. All eyes in the lobby turned in their direction, looking like they thought the girl insane. "Dawn, this is your fault!"

"Bu-wha-huh?" Dawn was caught off-guard. "Wait just a second, now why are you blaming me!?" One glare from May, however, stopped all other protests in Dawn's throat. "Wait," she muttered, "maybe I am to blame..."

This time Brock was giving them the "you're talking like you're insane" look as well. He never got into the loop, didn't he? "What are you two talking about?" he muttered.

Instead of answering him, May turned on her heals and took off outside once more, without nary a word said. Dawn was about to go after her, until Brock put himself in the way. "You're not going anywhere until you explain what were you two even blabbering about," he said, planting his feet and standing in place, his arms outstretched to barricade Dawn's path.

Dawn was inclined to try getting past Brock, but he kept himself immobile that she relented. "Fine, you asked for it," she said. "but promise me you won't cry. It will be embarrassing for me if you do."

"Now why would I even-" And then Dawn told him the whole story. After that, next thing she knew, Brock is now sulking in a corner. "Consarn it, Ash surpassed me all over again, and I'll bet he doesn't even know it. AGAIN. How many has it been already?"

Rolling her eyes, Dawn muttered, "You promised me you won't cry, didn't you? And besides, I thought you and Misty are already seeing each other?"

"Yes, that's what I'd like to know, too," Misty piped up, suddenly appearing beside Dawn from out of nowhere. The latter nearly had an actual heart attack because of it. "Oh, did I scare you?" Misty asked, speaking and acting like she just saw Dawn for the first time. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. Or did I?"

"Do you have something against me?" Dawn asked, clutching her chest to breathe better. "You know I don't take too kindly to being taken by surprise." Instead of answering that remark, Misty strode over to the deep, dark, dank corner where Brock was sulking. "Hey, wait, didn't you even hear what I said?"

The look on Misty's face indicates that the snub was deliberate, and Dawn wasn't quick enough to see it, exactly what Misty wanted. She really does want revenge for earlier, doesn't she?

* * *

Meanwhile, in the penthouse floor of the hotel ("How many penthouses are in this hotel, actually?" Ash wondered aloud. "Whoever said that a hotel cannot have more than one penthouse?" was Max's retort.), Ash and Max are standing in front of the elegantly-decorated door of the bride. One of them is quaking in his shoes for some reason. "I'm really nervous here," Ash told Max. "Why would she even want to see me?"

Max was just about ready to knock on the door, only to stop and stare at him. And Max's hand was just a half-inch from the wood. "Why exactly are you nervous about?" After a hard look, he added, "You're not planning to elope her, are you?"

"Elope?" Ash echoed.

"Figures that you wouldn't even know what that word even means," Max said, "so just forget I said it. But about wanting to see you, well, that's a good question, actually." Realizing that his still-outstretched hand is starting to strain a little, he finally gave the door a light knock.

"The door's unlocked, come in," a faint but audible voice from the other side said.

"Sorry to intrude," Max said as he swung the door wide open, and he and Ash went inside.

Ash would have expected it already, but this suite is virtually identical to that of Wallace's. Well, you just replace the aquatic designs and water-type artwork with, you guessed it, paintings of skylines, stars and flying-type Pokémon.

The bride sat on a chair in front of a dresser table, being tended to by two of her bridesmaids. She didn't even need to turn around (or even stand up), since she can see them from the mirror in front of her. "Uh, did we come at a bad time? I mean, you're obviously still getting ready for your big day, and-"

As much as Max would have been amused to see Ash be tongue-tied for once, he told him, "Hey, remember that she summoned us here? And why do you look like you couldn't string words together at the moment? Don\t you even recognize her?"

"Of course I recognize her," Ash snapped back at him. "Are you accusing me of a memory lapse or something?"

Max turned away, hands cupped behind his head while whistling "innocently", as he replied a slow, "Well, maybe. You said it, not me."

'I thought I had that pose trademarked?' Ash thought incredulously, getting off-subject for a bit.

Luckily Winona knew that their exchange is probably going to take longer and nowhere, so she decided to bring them back to the more important matter at hand. "I hate to intrude on an, erm, smart conversations between you two, but aren't you wondering why I called you?"

"Okay, I get it." Ash took his seat, cross-legged, on the floor. Max did the same. "SO, why _did_ you call us here?"

"Correction," Winona said, holding up one finger. "I only called for _one_. The other just invited himself along. And, if what I learned from May was right, this wasn't the first time." It wasn't hard to figure out who Winona was talking about that even Ash turned in the direction where she was directly facing. "No offense, okay? This is a little private matter that you shouldn't trouble with."

Feeling a bit letdown, Max said, "Fine, I'll go. I know when I'm not needed." He tried getting back to his feet, only to stumble and land on his rump again. "Aaagh! Leg cramps!" He got up again, slowly this time, and then wobbled to the door, followed by the two maids that Winona also dismissed.

"How did he even get leg cramps sitting at such a short time?" Ash wondered out loud. "I think he needs to get out more again."

Winona shook her head, half-amused, half-annoyed. "Can I actually get you to focus on what I wanted to talk to you about? Your mind seems to like wandering since I last saw you."

"Yeah, well," Ash retorted, "a lot of things have happened that makes a guy think, y'know?"

"Huh. From what I heard from your friends, you are not exactly a thinker, now, are you?" Before Ash could protest, Winona quickly changed the subject. "You have been quite a celebrity, now, haven't you?" She started counting down some points with her fingers. "Flying across the world on a single Pokémon, assaulting security, disrupting a wedding, general rudeness with the authorities, you've been quite busy."

'Wait, now why does that list sound so familiar?' Ash thought with a frown. 'Oh, wait, now I remember.' Out loud he said, "Are you going to give me a lecture? Because from what i'm hearing from you so far, it's the same old pitch that everyone's been telling me this past day."

"Don't you think I'd know that? I'm here to tell you something else, you twit."

'Waitaminit. Did she just call me-' Ash, dumbfounded, began thinking again, but Winona continued before he could trail off.

"All those things you've done, they were all for the sake of helping May, or so you thought, right?"

Ash shook his head. "So I thought," he repeated her words, with an unexpected sourness in his voice. "Yeah, that's right."

Instead of surprising Winona with his tone, she was just amused. "Well, I'll be. That certainly contradicts your friends' opinion regarding your, well -how exactly should I call it? - denseness." Yes, the same word that Dawn used earlier.

"My _what_?" For once, clueless Ash was completely justified.

Winona just shrugged in reply; obviously, she doesn't think too highly of the term, either. "Just bear with me, it's a term I just picked up from the grapevine." Ash was just about to say something else, but she cut him off. "It's an expression. A legitimate one, that is.

"You're right. You're probably already tired of what I said up to now, having heard it from perhaps just about everyone already. But there's something I'd like to add."

* * *

It was like an inverse of the meeting earlier. This time it was Ash coming down the stairs of the hotel, just as May came inside. Oh, wait, it really _is_ reversed. This time no one is accompanying either of them, although everyone is present there already, anyway.

Seeing the determined look on her friend's face, Dawn instantly predicted what she thinks is going to happen. The excitement on her face is showing, making Misty cover it with her hands. "That look is disturbing, you know that, Dawn?"

Dawn, instead of answering, pushed Misty, Brock, and Max to a small alcove between the stairs and a pillar (that girl's got quite the upper body strength, it seems), which commanded a view of the entire lobby while obscuring them from view. Unless you're going to look for them, that is. Somehow, all three got headbumps from hitting the wall in the process. "Just watch, Misty," Dawn said. "You just might learn something. ...and get a heartbreak as well, I suppose."

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Misty replied, frowning.

"Just zip your mouth shut and watch. Brock here probably already knows what's gonna happen. That's why he's sulking right now, actually." In the corner of their hiding place, Brock gave a sad, slow nod, as if to confirm that statement.

May took a deep breath, and marched right up to Ash. He didn't even give her a second glance, his eyes on the floor, while he's deep in thought. He did snap to attention when May said his name. "Ash, there's something I want to tell you. Something that's been nagging at the back of my head since, well, since as long as I remember. But, to start it all off...

"I love you."

Misty groaned and slapped herself on the forehead, as if she was in pain. Not exactly the reaction Dawn expected from her, though. "I thought you'd get jealous or angry or jealously angry or something," she whispered.

"How many times do I have to tell you, or anyone else for that matter, I'm. LONG. O-V-E-R. HIM!" Yes, she was whispering just like Dawn was, but for the latter, as well as Max and even catatonic Brock, it was as if Misty was still shouting, having covered their ears at the exact same time. ...go figure.

Still covering her ears, Dawn waited for Misty to stop spewing flames (that actually took awhile) before asking, "What was that groan for, then?"

"That was for May's sake. I don't want to see her go through the same heartbreak that I did in the past. Too painful."

"Here's the thing," Dawn replied. "May has just gone and did something that you didn't do." Misty gave her a quizzical look. "And, if my guess is correct, that's where the magic happens." Misty rubbed her eyes, since, for a second there, she thought she imagined a rainbow as Dawn gestured with her hands. "Oh, just keep your eyes on them, okay? You may learn something to your benefit."

Ash was scratching the back his head. A look, an expression that should be completely alien to the Ash we all know, was covering his face. "Uh, wow," he said, laughing slowly and nervously between each word. "Never actually had someone actually confess to me her feelings before, let alone a close friend." From the corner of her eye, Misty saw Dawn raise one finger.

"Don't give me that whole 'you're the densest person in the world' excuse, Ash," May said, gaining courage with each word. "I've learned a lot of things about you these past couple of hours."

"Hold on," Ash said, putting his hands up, "who said anything about making that excuse?" May crossed her arms and turned sideways from him, pouting. A cute gesture, but she's trying to look angry. Ash winced, and immediately tried to backpedal. "Listen, I don't know what kind of stories you've been hearing, but-"

"Travelling around the world, crashing a wedding." May was counting down her fingers as she said that list again. "Am I forgetting something? Ah yes, of course, the bit that started this whole mess: the title 'Princess of Hoenn', mister."

"Finally found out, huh?" Ash asked, looking like he's guilty of a huge crime.

"You do have an actual idea of what love is, don't you?" May said,

This time it was Ash's turn to turn away, scratching his head again while absently looking at the ceiling. "I don't know if you're going to believe me or not, but I think I'm starting to understand maybe a littttle. I just got lectured on the subject by one of your two mentors."

"Wallace? No, wait, you mean-"

"Winona?" Max, still behind the pillar like the rest, said at the same time as his sister. The Wonder Twins would be put to shame.

Ash nodded. "Yup. Lectured me on how everything I did, I did thinking it was to save you. Before she told me that, actually, things started clicking inside me and some things started making sense. I never could understand what I was doing this past day until Winona told me, and then you told me." Then he smiled, a smile that caused May's blush to turn deeper and her heart to stop. "Maybe I still don't know a whole lot about this love business, but I'm actually glad to find out that you think that way about me. Since," he moved his scratches from the back of his head his head to his nose; we all know what that means, "I think I like like you too."

You could practically hear the hotel floor cracking up, after three things were dropped instantaneously. People would actually be surprised that the floor didn't shatter then. Meanwhile, Dawn was pumping her fist exaggeratedly in the air, like she was relishing victory or something. All that's missing from her end is a victory dance.

Oh, and those "things"? They're three sets of _jaws_. Care to guess who they belong to?


	8. Chapter VII

May turned away from Ash again, this time to hide the fact that she was smiling _and_ crying at the same time. Of course, hasn't she just learned that Ash isn't as dull as he looks? "Aw man," Ash said, pretending to be crushed, "don't act like that, it might make people think I made you cry."

"Sorry," May replied, laughing a little, while wiping her tears with one hand.

"And now people are going to think you've gone crazy," Ash muttered, cupping his hands behind his head, trying to make a joke of the situation. He tried another tactic. "So, how long are you guys going to stay behind that pillar?" he suddenly called out. "It must be getting hot over there." Never mind the whole lobby is air-conditioned...

Realizing that hiding is a bit redundant when Ash actually knows they're there, the group got out of their hiding place. Well, most anyway; still-catatonic Brock has to be dragged by the collar by the combined might of Misty and Dawn. "How much have you been feeding him, Misty?" Dawn gasped throughout the whole effort. "He weighs heavier than a Snorlax!"

"He's the one who's been feeding _me_," Misty corrected her, whose face was red, from both frustration and exhaustion. "He's the universal cook of our party, remember?"

"That's not something to brag about," Dawn muttered.

"And how would you even know how heavy a Snorlax would be?" Max quipped. He has already made himself comfortable on one of the lobby's comfy chairs, a relief for him since he spent his whole time behind the pillar squatting. "You telling me you actually lifted one before?"

"How about offering us your help instead of your mouth?" Dawn retorted.

Max shrugged. "I voted we leave him there, remember? I said that he'd probably just go back there out of sullenness. And I was right. See for yourself." Dawn blanched; apparently, the second she turned her attention to Max, Brock was gone from the two girls' grips, having returned to the pillar. With one last look at him, Dawn gave him a wave of surrender. "Oh, whatever. Stay there if that's what you want!" And then her attitude changed when she started to address Ash and May. "So, you two...now what?"

"Now what...umm, what?" May repeated.

Dawn looked at her like it was their first time meeting each other. "Seriously? You don't know what you want to do next? After bagging the, dare I say it, most sought-after prize of the year?"

"Wait, I'm a-" Ash started, looking please with himself, but Misty cut him off.

"It's a narrow superlative, something Dawn came up with, a spur of the moment thing." Misty just gestured, and Dawn nodded her head on cue. "You're not really a desirable prize or anything. Just that you're," Misty gritted her teeth before continuing, "so hard to get. Don't let it get to your head."

Meanwhile, May was already pondering Dawn's words, and had already thought of something. "There is something I want to do right now," her right pointer finger to her chin to symbolize her deep thinking ("That's a rare sight," Max muttered.), "but, there's something I want you guys to do for me first."

A really bad chill went down Max's spine, and it looks like he was genuinely afraid of something, for once. Remember that he was at a distance away from the others. "Oh, just great," he muttered aloud enough for everyone to hear, "whatever you're going to ask us for, it's probably gonna be a death sentence for me. Again. So much fun. Yay." And he said it in the flattest tone possible. Obviously, this wasn't the first time it happened...

* * *

And Dawn was all too enthusiastic to carry out her friend's request. Misty, slightly so. Brock, still a vegetable, so they won't be expecting any helping hand from him any time soon. And Max was the most reluctant...why? Well...

"They did WHAT?!" That last word alone would have blown the roof of the hotel from the sheer volume of the one who said it.

Steven (the best man of the wedding that just arrived), Wallace and Max all covered their ears and cowered even before that cry. Having two of the strongest trainers of Hoenn acting like that, you'd know exactly that the enraged person is someone to be feared. "THIS is why I don't want to do my sister any favors anymore," Max said, his voice a little higher than usual since his ears are ringing.

"Strange," Steven muttered, his voice also on high volume, "I never pegged him to be the violent type, really."

"Well, he is a father first and foremost," Wallace pointed out. Unlike the other three, his tone was more subdued. "Once news like this broke out, you should have expected him to act like this."

"Of all the terms that she had to use, it hadda be-"

"Elope? Elope? ELOPE?!" Somehow, Norman (come on, who didn't see this coming?) seems to have learned Outrage, but he seems to be keeping his rage focused with his voice. No violent tantrums, thankfully...not yet, anyway.

Once his hearing's back to normal, Steven tried to calm his older colleague down. "Norman, there has to be a perfectly reasonable explanation why May would say that. No need to angry about it. And besides..."

Wallace picked up his friend's train of thought. "...we're all talking about _Ash_ here. From what I gathered from his friends, he's not exactly the romantic type to pull it off. Never mind that whole wedding crash scene he instigated earlier..."

Taking deep breaths, Norman seems to be finally calming down. "You're right, this cannot be Ash's doing. Then again," His eyes flared up again, causing all three to cower again, "just what possessed her to think of doing something like this in the first place?"

For some reason, an image of May sticking her tongue out at him sprung into Max's mind. Not for looking malicious, though, Max sees it as if she was embarrassed about something. "I doubt she really didn't have anything else in mind when she thought that up," Max muttered, low enough so the rest won't hear him. Out loud, he said, "And it's not like Ash would even know what elope actually means. He might confuse it with something else."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the other penthouse suite, happening right around the same time...

'Boy, Misty and I sure are lucky we got this assignment instead,' Dawn thought. Obviously, the outbursts can be heard all throughout the hotel.

"Here I thought that this wedding is going to be mostly uneventful," was what Caroline said, after hearing the news. She muttered an aside to the bride, "No offense, Winona. Evidently, I was wrong."

Winona gave a rueful shrug, as well as a smile that she would usually put up when she's feeling defeated (in a gym battle, of course!). "None taken. It's partly my fault, anyway, after I had that talk with the young man."

"Just something out of curiosity, though," Misty piped up. "What DID you two talk about? Max was still feeling a little offended that you shooed him away before you could say anything. And Ash himself never cleared up anything, either. Doubt that he'd still have a clue to whatever you said, I'll bet."

"Wasn't it rather obvious?" Winona asked, surprised that Misty would even bring it up. "I told him that he's quite the romantic to be pulling off all the stunts that he did. Yet, at the same time, he's being incredibly crass with ignoring May's feelings like that. And that if he wouldn't want to hurt May's feelings, he should start being honest with his own. And the rest, as you say, is," *BANG*, "wait a minute, why are you banging your head on the wall? You'll hurt yourself, so stop that!"

*BANG* "That was all it took?" *BANG* "That was ALL IT TOOK!" *BANG* "That was all it took..."

"I'd worry more about the wall cracking up than Misty getting a bad concussion, if you ask me," Dawn told Winona. "Let's just say that Ash's obliviety-"

"Is that even a word?" both Winona and Caroline asked at the same time.

"Oh, not you too," Dawn groaned. "Cut me some slack, I'll admit I'm making up words as I go along, okay?" She cleared her throat very loudly, a signal that she wanted to change the subject. "As I was saying, because of Ash's my-made-up-word-that-I-wouldn't-want-to-give-away-lest-I-get-mocked-again-but-you-all-know-what-I'm-talking-about-anyway," imagine saying that without taking a breather after each word; gotta give Dawn props for that, "Misty there wasn't able to get through to him, but May, armed with sufficient information, easily beat her to the punch.

"I have to admit, though, she takes it rather well than I thought she would,"

Caroline stared at Dawn. "And you expect Misty to have a worse reaction than this?"

"Oh, much worse," Dawn replied bluntly. "Rejection and all that jazz."

* * *

"So...you're sure that it doesn't have anything to do with an envelope?" Ash was asking.

May shook her head, not as a "no" response to Ash's question, but rather because she's thinking he's being incredulous. "Just because they sound alike means that they also mean the same thing," she told him flatly. "How would you even think of associating a term that refers to running away with an envelope, of all things?"

With a huge sigh, Ash gave up. "Okay, fine." Apparently, he's been bugging her with the question since they left. And then he had to bother her with _another_. "What are we doing _here_, anyway?" *SNAP* Ash expertly and nonchalantly dodged that one, like he saw it coming, even though the attack came from behind. "'Cause, if you can't tell, someone's certainly not happy that I had to use him on another trip, no matter how short it was compared to last time."

"You're worrying about nothing." May, with both hands, reached out to grab Charizard's head, scratching him behind the ears. "Charizard's being as nice as before. Aren't you, you big softie?" The normally-aggressive dragon suddenly went tame with such a gesture. In case anyone's wondering, yes, it's to troll his trainer again (which works, judging by Ash's annoyed reaction), since Charizard is sticking out his tongue at Ash as May scratched him.

Shaking his head, Ash turned away, hoping to erase the sight from his mind. He also decided to change the subject again,m namely one that popped into his mind the moment that he took in the sights in front of them.

"And when are you going to tell me Mauville City, in its entirety, transformed from a normal city with normal buildings, into a complex of a single, gigantic skyscraper?!"


	9. Chapter VIII

"Seriously. How does an entire metropolis just vanish, replaced by a huge skyscraper? Huge as in vertically and-"

"Horizontally," May finished for him. "You don't have to explain that, I have eyes, too, you know. Let's just say that Wattson's been a very busy man. He's been at this project ever since you last saw him, if I recall. Come on, come on! Let's go inside."

"What's the hurry? We don't even have to- ERK!" May yanked on Ash's arm so hard, pulling him inside the building, that the words got stuck in his throat. For once in a long while, after seeing the scene, Charizard was smiling at his trainer, waving a goodbye at the two of them as Ash and May disappeared inside. Of course, the malicious yet funny-looking grin on his face hasn't been completely wiped yet...

* * *

Entering from the north exit, the first thing Ash sees when they find themselves at an intersection was the new Mauville Gym to their right. Ash was inclined to pay Wattson a visit ("for old times' sake" was his excuse), but May, who knew better, had other plans. Plans that she'd rather do than visit a gym, of course. "Besides, it's League off-season," she pointed out to Ash. "Wattson's probably not even inside, since he won't be expecting any challengers any time soon."

Instead, May dragged Ash a couple or so doors eastward, arriving at a boutique shop. Ash was still taking in the sights around him, eyeing shops from all directions so he had no idea what the shop actually was until May pushed him inside. A split-second or so later, he immediately springs back out, red on his face (May effortlessly pulled him back in, though). That's the last place any male not named Brock would ever want to be, a shop that caters exclusively to females.

Ash knows this, but May apparently doesn't, or was it that she was just ignoring the fact? The irony...

Just as Ash expected, he's the only guy in the whole joint. Clerks and customers alike were all female. If he was Brock, he would proclaim that he's died and is in heaven right now; but he's (relatively) normal in comparison, so it just leaves him flustered instead.

"We flew from one city to the next, just to go on a shopping spree?!" Ash declared. Sitting on a stool he filched from near the cash registers, he was just watching May inspect a rack of chic clothes. "I thought we're going to do more than this!" Eyes glared in his direction, and he quickly quieted down.

"Oh, Ash, I have other reasons to be here in Mauville City than just to shop," May said; she didn't even turn to him to talk; she was busy examining two dresses and comparing it to her frame to see which would fit. "I just decided to stop by here first. Chez Liana's has the best fashion catalog in Hoenn." She headed straight for the changing rooms, without looking back. "Stay there," she told him over her shoulder.

No sooner had she vanished behind the curtains of the changing rooms of her choosing, did Ash sarcastically mutter, "Oh, she's right. There really is more to this trip than shopping. Oh whoop-dee-do-da-dey."

With May gone, Ash feels like his disposition has gone worse. Not only is he the only male around, but now he's in a shop full of strangers. Beautiful and cute strangers, mind you, but still.

...Wait, did those words actually come out of Ash's thoughts?

A couple of clerks seem to have been noticed him, too. Ash nearly jumped out of his seat when one of them called to him behind him. "Hello there, young man. May I help you with something?"

Trying to whirl around, Ash only succeeded in toppling himself from his seat. Quickly getting back to his feet, Ash still doesn't know what to say. "I, ah, well, um, you see-" His tongue was tied completely.

Then the other clerk stepped up. "You look like you need help, Gloria."

So now two attractive sales clerks are going to attend to him. If Brock could only see Ash now, he'd be...well, it's better not to describe it. "Umm, well, I'm here with a friend, and I'm not really into buying anything in this store...no offense. I'm a guy, after all."

Neither girl actually looked disappointed, actually. The second clerk wrote something down in a piece of paper and handed it to Ash. "Here, why don't you give me a call when you made a decision?" she told him with a wink. One quick look at it and Ash saw a Pokegear number.

To Ash's intense relief, a customer near the lingerie section (he only took in the sign hanging from the ceiling of that department; he dared not look underneath) was asking for assistance, and the clerks knew they were obligated to attend to her instead. "Waiting you has been real nice," Gloria added (no number, though).

And Ash was all alone again, staring after the two of them while absently crumpling the paper between his hands. "huh. Maybe going inside this store might not be such a bad idea," he thought to himself. Unfortunately, he was saying it out loud. Loud enough that...

"Is that so? I'm glad to hear you say that. WHY you said it, on the other hand, I'm not impressed."

For the second time, Ash nearly jumped. Ash's neck was creaking as he turned around to face May, eyes narrowed disapprovingly. 'May! How long have you been there?" Thinking quickly, he added, "You're not angry, are you?"

The sooner he said it, did Ash realize that he just dug his own grave. "Oh, I don't know. Do I have a reason to be?" May's eyes pierced Ash worse than a Beedrill's stinger when she asked that. "Hmmmmmmmmmmm?"

Ash started looking frantically around, trying to save himself by changing the subject, but then figured that the answer was right in front of him. May had a paper bag that has the Chez Liana's words gaudily decorating either side (in other words, she's already out of the changing rooms and made her purchase[s] long before he's even noticed), and that she was wearing new threads: a blue-and-white blouse with a knee-length frilly skirt. Add the sapphire ribbon on her hair, and a similarly-colored handbag slung over her left shoulder, she must be going for an ensemble.

"Is that what you bought?" Ash paused for a moment, putting his chin between his thumb and index finger while with a nod as if sizing her up. "Not bad, actually. It looks good on you."

May turned away, since she didn't want Ash to see her flushed face. "Li-Like I'd actually ask for y-your opinion on my new clothes!"

"But isn't that why you brought me here?" Ash replied, confused. "To get my opinion on what dress I'd like to see you in?"

"Th-That's n-not-" It's no use, Ash had her figured out, actually. So, to save face, without another word, she strode hastily toward the door, prompting Ash to go after her.

'Ah great,' he thought, wincing. 'She evolved from Type B to Type A without me noticing. Must have been spending too much time with Misty while I was gone.' And he never bothered to ask her what's in the other bag she's holding (yes, she was actually holding three: the new shoulder bag, the shop bag where she keeps her old clothes, and the third, unmarked one).

Once he stepped outside back to Mauville's street/hallway/whatever you call it now, May (who was waiting for him) shoved two of the paper bags into his hands. "This is the reason why I brought you along with me shopping, Ash. You shouldn't let a girl carry all this load if you're a gentleman."

"Probably going to be the beginning of my torture, isn't it?" Ash muttered.

"You don't say," May said, winking at him. And it wasn't exactly of the flirty kind.

And Ash was right. A complete revolution of Mauville City's first floor later, and he was now gone, replaced by a mountain of parcels with legs at the bottom. When asked what all these purchases are for, May actually brought up a list: wedding presents for Wallace, and Winona, and a third for them as a couple (as apology for playing hooky during the wedding when she should be performing), and another pair of "apology presents" for her parents (May predicted that her dad will be even less happier at what she did).

They were passing a video arcade when a familiar voice called out to them. Ash would use any excuse to drop his load, and when he got his arms to rest, he saw Wattson step out of the arcade. "Well, I'll be. It's Ash and May. How long has it been since I saw you last?" Nodding at May, he added, "Together, at least."

Before Ash could question this comment, May stepped up and shook Wattson's hand. "What are you doing here, Wattson? I thought you'd be vacationing, or, at least, be in your apartment in the upper levels, since this is off-season, right?"

Wattson pointed to a hight-tech gaming table just outside the arcade. "I was just dropping off my contribution to the Fun Corner in my New Mauville, y'see," he said. He inhaled aloud and then thumped his chest with his right thumb. "A simple game of switches and lights, and you can tell that I'm proud of it."

Both Ash and May eyed the table warily. The latter would soon turn away to ask, "Okay, so how do you play this thing?"

Wattson gave out a hearty laugh, for no reason. "Pretty simple, really. As you can see, there are ten switches, five lined up horizontally, and five vertically, and twenty-five lightbulbs. The objective is to press a certain set of switches until all the lights have shone the same color. The tricky part is that pressing one switch not only turns on one light, but the other lights on top, bottom, and either side of it. The player would have to press only six switches until I have to reset the table and give him or her a second try. Now, the trick-"

"I've done it," Ash said.

"Huh?" Both May and Wattson were astounded. Wattson whirled around to see the table, and there it is, in front of their very eyes: twenty-five lightbulbs, all shining a faint blue light. "I don't believe it." His mouth was agape. "How did you do it, Ash?"

Grinning, Ash only shrugged, cupping his hands behind his head, looking smug. "Like you said, it's all just a pretty simple combination, really. I'll even show you guys again. Wattson, if you'd please reset the table?"

Feeling like he's being challenged, the Mauville gym leader complied. His jovial expression gone, he turned dead serious as he flipped a switch from underneath the table, and so the lights "jumbled up" again, showing a random arrangement of rainbow colors again. Wattson dared not take his eyes off the table or Ash, thinking that the latter might be pulling something. But Ash pressed six switches without a hitch, and there it was: the table lit up with only one color, this time red.

Wattson shook his head. "Well, whaddaya know? You really did solve my puzzle table. Congratulations." He was trying (and failing) to hide the defeated tone in his voice, not to mention that his head was hanging low, not even facing Ash or May. Even in that same posture, he reached for the incubator on the table next to his game. "Here's your prize. Take good care of it once it hatches, you hear me?"

While he was still looking smug, Ash has trouble trying to look haughty while carrying that incubator on his back (Wattson provided a harness so the device can be held like a backpack; not that it helped Ash's situation), and the rest of his load on the front. "I don't remember incubators being this big, or heavy," he grunted.

After making sure that the two are walking out of earshot of him, Wattson went to a corner and started sobbing dramatically (as in exaggerated, that is). "He has soundly defeated me again, and in a completely unexpected way again, too," he was saying. "How does he keep doing it?"

"I'm actually impressed, Ash. Tell me, how did you solve it?" May was asking, thinking along the exact same lines as the Mauville leader.

"Eh. I just guessed."

May stared at him. "You're kidding, right?" she was legitimately shocked at what he said. "Wait, what about when you solved it a second time, with Wattson and me witnessing the whole thing?"

"That was where I found a one-time trick that Wattson probably didn't notice himself. Namely, that in the second puzzle he set up, the colored lights are placed in the exact same arrangement, except in how the colors are switched up. Example: the northernmost corner bulb shone blue, the one next to it is red, and the one directly underneath is yellow. In the second table, the northernmost bulb is now red, while the adjacent bulb is yellow, and the one underneath is green. It extends to the rest of the lights, really; you'd have to have the eyes of a Braviary to notice it,"

Ash noticed May cock an eyebrow at the name, so he quickly added, "Unova native. I'll show you in my Pokedex later." He continued his explanation. "So, since I saw the arrangements are the same in both puzzles, I guessed that the switches needed in order to turn them all the same color is probably the same, too. I guessed on the first puzzle, and applied the logic I told you in the second."

Shaking her head, May was now more impressed than before. "You actually outsmarted Wattson; never would have thought you'd have guile in you."

"Guile?" Ash repeated. "Isn't he a video game character or something?"

May stared, "And all that respect have gone up in smoke, again," she muttered. Embarrassed, she started walking away from him briskly.

"What? That quickly? How come?! Wait up!" He tried catching up to her but he's being sluggish lugging that incubator while walking, let alone running.


	10. Chapter IX

Another revolution of Mauville's streets later, when May was sure that she bought everything she wanted, they returned to their "starting point", Route 117. Charizard, who never left the spot, has become a bit of a tourist attraction, with passersby and curious families stopping over and actually taking pictures at, of, and with him.

"Oh, just great," Ash groaned aloud, rolling his eyes while watching his Charizard make bombastic poses as the crowd gathers around him for the pictures. "All this attention is probably going straight to his head. Again. His head will be so big he won't be able to lift us off the ground."

"He probably takes after his trainer," May replied snidely. Before Ash could even think of a retort, she added, "Listen, why don't you just stay here and keep an eye on our things? There's something I need to do first."

"Nonononononononono," Ash said, as if his vocal chords were stuck on full-throttle. "Remember how Charizard currently has a beef with me, yet he, for some inexplicable reason, fancies you? Uh-uh, that's not a good idea, May."

But May was already on her way back inside. "Charizard disobeying you? If I recall what Brock and Misty told me, that never stopped you, did it?" And she was gone.

"I hate it when she's right," Ash muttered. Putting the parcels down on the ground, he stretched his arms, making him feel like they've fallen asleep from all the load. And then, once he feels life returning to his limbs, he casually walked over to the crowd, straight towards his Charizard.

Officer Jenny, who was regulating the crowd, rounded on him immediately when she realized he was the wayward Pokémon. "I really thought you'd never come back for your Pokémon. I saw you and your friend land outside the city with this Charizard, so I figured out right from the start you're his trainer."

"He's not causing you any trouble, is he?" Ash asked, a tad bit uneasy.

The officer shook her head. "On the contrary. He seems to have become quite a celebrity. Kids in particular seem to have thought he was a new attraction or something, and then the adults that accompanying them were quite taken by surprised by how Charizard seems to enjoy taking pictures with them."

Rolling his eyes, Ash muttered, "That's just the way he is. Don't worry, he's harmless. Mostly."

Looking over in Charizard's direction, just as the Pokémon hoisted two toddlers on his shoulders, Officer gave it a thought for a couple of seconds. "Mighty big coincidence, when, not too long ago, I heard over the grapevine about some idiot crashing a wedding over in Petalburg City with his Charizard," Ash quickly turned away, hoping that the copper wouldn't see the panicked look on his face, "when such a species is supposedly rare here in the region."

"Ye-Yeah," Ash agreed, "it's all just mighty big coincidence, huh?"

"Indeed."

Ash was lucky that Jenny didn't notice his nervous fidgeting. Maybe she probably did, but at this point did May return. The sight of her was enough for Ash to tell why she disappeared back inside: she has changed back to her regular clothes. Hands on her hips, she was eyeing the pile of parcels carelessly thrown down to the ground before proceeding toward Ash. "Really, Ash? Leaving our stuff like that while you're over here mingling with people? Is that a smart thing to do?"

"It isn't like they'll be in any danger," Ash countered. "And it isn't like they were out of my sight. I never took my eyes off of them the whole time, and no one even went near them. They were, erm, distracted by something else instead." He jerked his head in Charizard's direction.

May shook her head. "Fine. You get a pass this time, Ash." Raising her voice, she said to the crowd, "I'm sorry people, but we have to use Charizard now, but don't worry, I'll make sure he'll be back to play with the kids again."

There were a couple of groans from the crowd, mostly from the kids, but, with Officer Jenny's help, the crowd was sent on their way. "I'll be seeing you two later, then," Officer Jenny said before taking her leave, tipping her hat to the pair. "Careful on your flight, then." And she went back to her post inside Mauville City.

Once all packages are safe and secure, May patted the dragon on the back. "You can go now. Deliver those presents safely to Petalburg City, okay?" Charizard nodded, and with a strong gust, he was off.

"Wait, why are we staying behind?" Ash asked.

"Because," May took Ash's hand and puled it closer to her while squeezing it tightly, "I wanted to have a date here in Mauville City, and we haven't even gotten to that part just yet. Now c'mon, let's go!" She yanked on his arm again, dragging him back inside.

* * *

"It figures they'd be back for the reception," Max quipped, rolling his eyes. "Right exactly when May knows the buffet gets laid out."

Charizard didn't have to flap his wings that hard in order to land; he's just going for the dramatic entrance. They were twenty feet from the ground before Ash issued a "cease and desist" (By saying that the wind would destroy the food, which Charizard actually bought), so the landing was more low-key than everyone thought. Ash got off his draconic Pokémon first, and then held out his hands to help May get down as well.

...a gesture that Misty immediately took notice, judging by the trembling fists. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she asked, "It was like what Max said. The timing of your return is impeccable; in fact, I gathered that you didn't even plan on returning until you remembered that a posh occasion like this equals lots of food."

Slightly angry, Ash looked at her like, genuinely offended at what she said. "Now isn't that a low blow, Misty? I have to go back to retrieve my Unova team as well. I'm not about to leave them behind, if that's what you're saying."

Misty was about to say something else, but realized that he had a point, so she kept mum. Instead, freshly-recovered Brock picked up the slack. "Don't leave us hanging, you two. Where did you go off to, and what did you do?"

"Oh, we didn't do nothing at all," May said, hands coyly behind her back, "just seeing what renovations Wattson made to Mauville City, and we just hung out, that's all. Stuff."

"Stuff, huh," Max repeated, adjusting his glasses, suspicious at how his sister said it.

By this point the bride has left her table and had reached Ash and May. Realizing the trouble she might be in, the headstrong May is gone, replaced by a meek, apologetic one. "I'm so sorry that I played hooky, Winona," May started to say as soon as the latter was within earshot.

Winona put up her hands to stop May from saying anything more. "Don't apologise." She gave a meaningful nod in Ash's direction. "I can tell how important recent events have been for you."

Putting a hand to her chest, May breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she added, "Don't you worry. I am still ready to perform my special show for you and Wallace, just like I promised."

This surprised everyone present, but none moreso than Winona herself. "Are you sure, May? I thought that you'd skimp out on practice because of all this"

May nodded, her face looking as determined than ever. "It takes a little more than romance to break a promise I made. And I've done plenty of practice, I swear, far long before Ash showed up."

Smiling, Winona shook her head in bemusement. "Very well then. I'll give you and your date," again, she gave a knowing nod in you-know-who's direction, "fifteen minutes to dress up. He can't exactly expect to attend my wedding dressing up so casually, can't he?"

"No." May smiled. "And don't worry, I'll make sure he dresses for the occasion."

In the distance, Ash could be seen jerking up, as if a chill went up his spine. "Why do I have this sense of foreboding within me?" he muttered.

"Before all that, though, you think Steven needs to dig into his father's savings a little further for catering?" This time Winona gestured in the direction of Charizard, who's already on his way to the buffet table, mouth wide open and watering horribly at the feast. Oddly enough, Pignite, who was in front of Charizard pushing himk back away from the food, was having trouble, but Snivy, who wrapped her Vine Whips around the dragon, was having no trouble at all.

May was about to reply, but then seeing Charizard reminded her of something. "Oh no, I completely forgot all about the baby!" she exclaimed, quickly running towards Charizard's direction.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

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.

.

Normally, the wedding band's music would drown out any noise, but everyone heard her exclamation loud and clear. "Did she just say," Misty had trouble piecing together those words, let alone a full sentence, especially this last one, "BABY?!"

All eyes focused their accusatory glances in the direction of one person. "Oh, and you guys accuse me of jumping to conclusions," Ash muttered, crossing his arms, annoyed.

It was like none of his friends even heard what he said. It doesn't help his case that, when May got to Charizard and reached for a load on his back, she was now gently singing a lullaby. When she got back down, her back still to everyone, she was swaying her body back and forth,arms out of view, like she was carrying...cradling _something_.

"You didn't?" Misty, Brock, Max, Dawn and Caroline asked Ash, all in unison. Funny thing: that was the sternest voice Ash had ever heard from the latter.

"Didn't I just say that you're all jumping to a ridiculous conclusion?" Ash countered. "A very ridiculous conclusion?" he repeated, as emphasis. He decided to make a joke of it, too. "By the way, you guys been practicing for choir or something? That's nice synchronization right there, y'know?"

Much to his relief May finally turned around, walking back to her friends so that the "baby" in her arms can be finally seen. Ash breathed a huge sigh of relief when it happened, and he wasn't exaggerating.

Thing is, May looked like she hadn't realized that she (temporarily, Ash would hope) put Ash in hot water. "It's a good thing Charizard acted like a nice warm bed for her, Ash. She's still fast asleep. See?"

In her arms, sleeping peacefully, was a Pichu. Her friends breathed a sigh of relief, and Ash had a look of triumph on his face. "If you're gonna say 'I told you so," Dawn told him, sounding like she was defeated or something, "please don't."


	11. Chapter X

"Just can't believe I've been made to wear this," Ash muttered, sizing himself up in front of a hall mirror. Wearing an expensive rental tux, this isn't the Ash we're going to get used to. "Why did you guys make me wear this again? In fact, how did you even convince me?" He tried tucking in what he thinks is excess cloth only for Max to slap his hand to stop him.

"Wow. How quickly you forget. Let me remind you then." Max cleared his throat out loud. " The food. All the food, Ash."

Max's timing was pretty impeccable, since a grumbling sound can be heard just over Ash's belt after he said that. "Ah. I forgot. My bad," he admitted with a sheepish grin, scratching his head. That grin would suddenly just disappear when Ash started thinking of something. "Hey, have you seen Brock?"

"He's over there, trying his luck with the you-know-what...yet again."

Max jerked his thumb farther down the hallway, where the guy in question was busy picking up girls. Or attempting to, at least. His pickup lines are a bit rusty. "Tell me, miss, are you an angel? Because you seem to have fallen from the sky right in front of me!" "I hear this is a five-star hotel, but your appearance warrants six stars!"

"Even Croagunk didn't bother with his antics too much anymore," Max added, pointing to a familiar purple-hued toad crouching right next to them, not next to his trainer. "He probably knows Brock is destined to fail every time, so he just steps in when he has a marginal chance of success. Misty actually put him up for it, in case she isn't around to act as a, umm, buffer..." His voice trailed off when he just as suddenly realized something. "Oh, so THAT's what Mom meant when she asked me to-" Seeing Ash's confused look, he quickly said, "Erm, never mind that I said that."

"Long time no see, Croagunk." Ash thought of something for a moment. "Wait a sec, I thought you might just be out of a job by now since Brock and Misty started seeing each other." He then turned to Max. "They really are dating, right? For me it's still really just hard to believe."

"Just go along with it, alright? They have lives of their own, after all. Now, tell me: why are you looking for him? He owe you money or something?"

Looking at him like he said something weird, Ash just nonetheless ignored the comment and said, "I wanted to ask him a little advice about something."

"Seriously?" Max declared. "You're going to ask _him_ for advice? I don't even wanna ask what you're going to ask him about, but since when has he ever dispensed with some _good_ ones?" Behind him, Croagunk, who never took his eyes off his trainer, could be seen nonchalantly nodding in agreement._ He was actually listening to the whole thing..._

Scratching his head, Ash looked away, while sayinmg, "It's just that, well...Oh, what am I doing, discussing this with you?" He added snidely, "It's not like you'd actually understand..."

Ash's comment certainly caused a couple of heads to turn. Max is not amused by it at all. "Oh, this is rich, coming from a guy who didn't even really know what love is until a girl outright confessed to him a few hours ago. Like you would even know more about the subject than I do!"

"What kind of help are asking from me?" Brock inquired, suddenly appearing behind Ash and Max, surprising them out of their wits. Even Croagunk!

"That's what I'd like to know, too," Max piped up.

Deep in thought, Ash didn't give an answer until a couple minutes later. "After all those stunts I pulled the past day, I was quite surprised that May never lost patience with me. Well, okay, maybe her temper came to a boiling point several times, but she still stuck with me. I really want to make it up to her, somehow. And I figured that you'd be the one I should ask on matters like this."

The whole time Ash was talking, Brock was nodding to himself. "And all because I'm the leading expert on the matter, am I right?"

Max snorted, while Croagunk shook his head. Brock's ego balloon is expanding to dirigible size. "You? A leading expert? Yeah, right."

Unfortunately for Brock, Ash shared the same sentiment as Max. "No," he said bluntly, "it's only because you're the only one I know."

And like all balloons, Brock's ego deflated and fell to the floor, splat. However, in spite of that deprecating remark, Brock still decided to help out. In his own words, "I've a reputation to save."

"What reputation?" Max whispered to Ash, although it was loud enough that Brock can still hear it. Ash just shrugged.

But before Brock can lash out them this time ('Enough is enough', was his inner thoughts), he sensed someone approaching them from the side. Someone whose presence made both Brock and Max start really wishing that they weren't with Ash right now. "There you are!" the newcomer boomed. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Well, Ash," Max said, stomping his feet on the spot, as if he was prepping to run (oh wait, he _was_), "looks like you're all ready for the party. See you, if you survive!"

"And for that advice that you've been meaning to ask me, save it for during the party, so...Smell ya later! Ta, ta!" And the two of them took off, in the opposite direction of the approaching "threat", with speeds that would make Deoxys Speed Forme blush.

Ash shook his head. 'Perhaps he really has been hanging out with Gary,' he thought. He shivered. 'That's not a good thing...'

Before he could contemplate this further, the new arrival was now standing just behind Ash, and grabbed him by the shoulders. For the latter, it was like the time his Snorlax patted him full-strength on the same spot.

Turning his head reaaaaaaaaaaally slowly, and his body following suit from the strain, Ash dared look straight in the eyes of the Petalburg gym leader. It was amazing how the latter can talk through gritted teeth, in the scariest, forced smile Ash has ever seen him wear. "I need to talk to you, Ash Ketchum. NOW."

"You're not taking me to a firing squad, are you?" Ash asked, squinting his eyes is if to get ready from any pain that he has to endure. Surprisingly for him, there wasn't any.

"Oh, no. I have a better idea. Now, no more stalling, let's go."

* * *

In another part of the hotel...

"So you're saying that, for a second there, you all thought I gave birth to Ash's baby the whole time we're gone?" May tossed her head back (Dawn had to slap her for it, since she was fixing May's hair) and gave a quick chuckle. "That's almost as bad as when he jumped to conclusions and thought I was getting married."

Misty, looking at the wedding reception a couple stories below them while on the balcony, shook her head, then frowned. "Conclusions. Never in a million years would I even think that he knew of that word, let alone what it meant." This time all three girls laughed. Pichu, lying down on May's lap asleep, began to stir and quiver its lips, so May quickly shushed the other two.

This reminded Dawn of a question she'd been meaning to ask. "Anyway, you still haven't told us how you got that Pichu. Pikachu's still back in Unova, so...did he spend too much time at a daycare or something?"

May, bemused, looked at Dawn behind her by staring at the mirror in front of them. "No, I'm pretty sure they're not related. Maybe." In Unova, a certain yellow mouse started having this "feeling of impending doom" vibe, and he has no clue why. "I'll bet you would never believe me even if I told you. Actually, even I still have trouble believing it, and I was _there_." And so she related the whole story. By the time she finished and looked at her friends, May smiled a little. "I knew it, just like I said, neither of you believe it, right?"

"Absolutely," the other two girls said in unison, and in complete deadpan. "Ash solving a brain-teaser,_ and_ outsmarting its inventor, at the same time?" Dawn muttered, shaking her head. "Are we still talking about the same Ash here?"

"Maybe he was replaced?" Dawn joked. "That's my two cents."

May raised an eyebrow to this, and the awkwardness was only broken by Misty quickly changing the subject back to their original topic. "So let me connect the rest of the dots for you, May. Wattson gave Ash the egg as a prize for solving the puzzle, and then Ash gave it to you?"

"Yeah, that really was how it went," May admitted. Her face creased a little. "For some reason, Ash thinks that I have a liking for Pokémon eggs. That, or he just became too lazy to lug the incubator around the whole time we're in Mauville City." She backpedaled a little after saying that. "No, no, no, that's a far cry from the Ash I know. I'm pretty sure that wasn't why he gave me the egg," she said. "He may be an idiot, among other things, but a jerk is not one of them. And I definitely know firsthand that he's changing...for the better." She took a deep breath. "Anyway, soon enough, the egg hatched. Just as Ash planned...yes, he actually said that...Pichu saw me as its mother." She couldn't help but smile again, and dimples actually started appearing on the sides of it. Was it from her summation of Ash, or from becoming an underage parent, again?

Both girls knew how smitten May was with her new Pokémon, but they also knew that she was smiling about something else, judging by their huge teeth-baring grins. Something that unnerved May. "You hear that, Dawn?" Misty asked. "Seems to me that our friend is finally removing all of her negative sentiments about you-know-who. Times sure are a-changing...he's changing, but we can tell that _she's_ changing, too."

May was flustered, but she certainly did not deny all that Misty said. Again, the other two girls see it crystal clear. And from the huge grins they're bearing: May realizes one thing: that they're going to milk the implications for all its worth. (At least Misty's finally through angsting about her loss of chance...or is she still?)

* * *

Ash is back at the hotel guards' basement station (he wishes he didn't have to come back), and, for some reason, the guards who he had aggravated before are all gone. Truth be told, Ash was actually wishing that they be there, so the situation might get resolved easily. Unfortunate for him...

'Boy, why does this all feel so familiar?' Ash asked himself, seated in a familiar chair with a spotlight trained on him. 'Oh, yeah, the last time I saw something like this happen, Cilan and Meowth were interrogating a Scrafty...but, right now, I'm the one who's in the hot seat." His eyes dared focus on the spotlight; predictably, his eyesight has gone black. 'Literally.'

Norman's voice came up from beyond the lights. Oddly, he was more subdued (if just by a teensie bit) when he started the whole interrogation, when, (according to Brock) during the whole "elopement" debacle, Norman was really blowing his top. Ash actually thinks Norman is more threatening this way, and with good reason.

"Caroline told me to go back to the Gym for a couple of hours, searching for some stuff she didn't actually need, like baby blankets, and some sort of medical test. I knew something odd was happening, but who am I to refuse my wife? Anyway, it turns out it was because she knew...she called it Maternal instinct, of all things...that you two are about to return around the time I was gone. Lucky you, Ash.

"Now, tell me, where have you two been, and don't spare me any details on what you did. You can start, now." Norman was still speaking calmly, but Ash knew that he was starting to crack, and, the last sentence sounded more like a drill sergeant's command.

Ash made sure that he didn't leave out any detail on his misadventures in Mauville City. He also decided to include the _other_ debacle (y'know, about May "becoming a mother"...again), because he believes that if Norman found out about it from anybody else, Ash should literally start digging his own grave by now. When he finished, did Norman breathe a sigh of relief.

"Does this mean I can finally exhale? Been holding my breath since you found me upstairs, can't you see me turning red from suffocation?" Ash was hoping his words didn't sound too much like a joke. Ironically, in spite of what Ash initially thought, that little extra comment atually caused Norman to burst out laughing.

"Yes, you can breathe easy now," Norman replied. He was even wiping a tear from his eye; he laughed _that_ hard. "In spite of what you think, Ash, I wouldn't mind it at all if my daughter would finally get an...'interest' in someone, but at least it has to be someone I know who wouldn't hurt her. I've known you long enough to know that you wouldn't pull anything. And about that elopement thing, I admit, I kinda overreacted to it."

'I know I'm friends with your kids,' Ash thought, 'but we don't know each other that well, actually.' Out loud, he exhaled, "Phew." He then wiped his forehead and then breathed a sigh of relief, even exaggerating it, too.

Again, Norman looked amused. This time, however, he merely shook his head instead of another Joker-esque outburst. "Come on, let's head back up. Everyone's waiting." He switched off the spotlight, then beckoned Ash to follow him out. At the stairs he put an arm on Ash's shoulder. "You're smart enough to fess up. If you hadn't, my Slaking would have been thrilled to learn that I found him a new punching bag. Quite a shame, really."

"Oh, that's much worse than a death sentence,' Ash thought, wincing at the mere thought.


	12. Chapter XI

Brock and Max were surprised that Ash turned up at the party in one piece (or even _alive_). Before either of them could fire a question, however, Caroline stepped up, beating them to the punch. "So, I take it Norman wasn't too hard on you? For a moment there I thought I might have to report a crime to the cops or something."

And she said this regardless of the fact that Norman was right there, next to Ash. Instead of calling her out on this, however, Norman presented his wife with the items she sent him to get. "Here you are, dear," he said calmly, feigning ignorance on the jabs in his presence. " I don't know why you asked for these items, but I do know that you just wanted me out of the way when Ash and May returned, right? You needn't bother, I'm taking their 'upgrade'," everyone stared at him for using the term, but didn't say anything, "more cordially than you'd expected from me."

"Oh, Normie," Caroline said as she took the items from Norman, "the way you say it, it makes you look like you're worse than Ash in the denseness department." She frowned as soon as she said it. "Can't believe I just said that. Good thing May's friend hasn't patented the word just yet."

'Wait a minute, is Dawn actually gonna patent her made-up words?' Ash thought incredulously.

"There you are," May called out from behind him, causing Ash to whirl around to face her. Just in time to position herself next to him, her right arm linking with his left, and all that. "You don't know how glad I was to see that Dad wasn't too hard on you."

Norman, while he was still talking with his wife, was not too busy enough that he heard the remark. "Is this really what you all take me for? Violent and overprotective?"

"Yep," all three members of his family replied in unison.

Norman's left eye twitched (Ash had to take a couple of steps away from him, "just to be safe"), but he just repressed it for the time being. "And Caroline, what were you saying about these items I brought for you?" Out of the corner of his eye, he could see both son and daughter trying to stifle their laughs. "What?" he asked them. "How about telling me already? I'm your father, remember?"

"Mom, just spell it out for him already," May said. "Can't you see what the curiosity is doing to Dad? He's going bonkers."

"Oh, fine, I guess I had enough fun." Caroline closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, then opening them again, and making eye contact with her husband. "SO, Normie, what do you say to having another tyke running around the house?"

The intended reaction didn't happen instantly. Norman had to monologue first. "Oh, is that really all? For a second there I thought the world might be facing an impending crisis or something, and instead I get-" *SLAM* He fainted before he could finish, falling to the floor on his side.

"Third time's the charm," Caroline said with a sigh. She turned to her daughter. "Now do you remember how Norman reacted when I revealed I was pregnant with Max all those years ago? This one wasn't as bad as back then, but still." She shook her head again. "And now I have to save the news of it being twins for later."

May shrugged. "How could I remember? I was two back then." Still linked to Ash's arm, who's currently eyeing a buffet nearby, she told him, "Come on, I want to introduce you formally to the bride and groom. I feel like it's my duty to do it." She yanked him away from the buffet before he could even swipe an appetizer.

"But you already introduced me to Wallace," he reminded her, "and I had that impromptu reunion with Winona thanks to Max. I really don't have to talk to them again, do I?"

"Yes you still have to talk to them," May echoed, still dragging Ash by his heels as they speak. "Okay, so maybe I have to re-introduce you. Now, no more complaining. We'll dig into the buffet later when we finish. Believe me, I'm just as famished as you are."

And yep, she literally dragged him across the room to the main table, where the guests of honor and their sponsors are seated. The effects on the poor li'l shoes Norman loaned him are not for the faint of heart.

"Now, this is a surprise," both bride and groom declared once Ash and May were within earshot. However, they had different meanings to why they said that. "I know Winona told me that you two finally hit it off, but seeing is believing, of course." Wallace then shrugged and then smiled. "And here I thought I saw it coming a mile away."

Winona rolled her eyes at her betrothed, then smiled at the two. "You should know this by now, May, but, that's his way of saying Congratulations."

"You guys are the ones who got married," Ash muttered, "yet you were the ones who congratulated us?"

The two of them stared at Ash and May, then at each other, then they pulled a newspaper out of who-knows-where. And the front-page article is about, well, guess. Ash winced, and May looked apologetic. "The papers certainly think your antics have overshadowed our wedding. I don't mind it at all," Wallace assured Ash. "At least it would give the whole reception a little more privacy that we can enjoy."

Ash didn't have to look around to realize the irony in this: the wedding reception is still getting media attention, with all that buzzing noises, the fangirls and -boys who are clamoring to see their idols again. He elected not to mention this, especially when Wallace had already changed the subject. "So, May, are you ready to perform your act? I'm pretty sure everyone would love to see it. It felt like we've waited a long time for it."

"Oh, don't worry about it," May told him. "I've got my routine memorized and rehearsed a million times already. I promise, it will take your breaths away." And then came the rumbling sound. Think it's coming from Ash? Think again. "And now I remember," she yanked Ash by the arm and started dragging him away, "I have to feed somebody. He's been nagging me about food since he got here." She's not fooling anyone, though. "I'll start my routine as soon as we finish off the feast."

The two of them, May in the lead, went to the table reserved for the Petalburg Gym leader and his family. ("Wait, the guests are divided by what city they are from?" Ash queried. "Not really," May replied, "they just reserve it for us in particular, and our friends, from other regions need I remind you, are on another table just next to the first.")

May and Ash settled themselves on the table with Brock, Misty and Dawn; why May chose that table, instead of the one with her own family, is a question for the ages. Anyway, before she can get her hands on the feast laid out in front of her, May took the time to look at a large pile of ketchup packets on her side of the table. That scene would only mitigate what May sees next, for if it weren't for the ketchup, at first glance it looked like Pichu was actually bleeding horribly.

Not amused, May stared at her seatmates, and shook her head. "You are a breeder, one of two of the best cooks I know, and you feed her ketchup? Seriously?!"

"Huh? Pichu's a she? How can you all even tell?" Ash wondered out loud; he was ignored.

"What else can I do?" Brock replied with a shrug. "She's been crying nonstop since she woke up to find both you and Ash gone, so I reasoned that she must be hungry. I tried everything, actually, and was even about to give up until Pichu saw the bottle at the next table." Brock pointed to a now-empty bottle at the foot of their table. Then he rebounded with something off-topic. "Wait, so who's the other one?"

The question didn't register with May, since Brock's prior explanation took too long. Ash proceeded to grab a bunch of tissues and was about to grab the ketchup-soaked infant until Norman, all the way at the next table, stopped him. "Wait, what are you doing? You're not going to put Pichu on your lap, are you? If you do, you'll stain the tux I lent you with the sauce!"

"Either I clean her, I'm still up in the air about Pichu's gender, up, or May does," Ash replied. "And she's wearing that new dress she bought in Mauville City. Someone has to make the ultimate sacrifice."

No one human needed to do anything. A pair of Vine Whips sprung up from behind Ash, one grabbing the tissues from his hand and another wraps around Pichu. Snivy, in her own way, decided to pull the deed without hassling her trainer. Seeing her start wiping Pichu up, Ash's eyes drifted to the rest of his Pokémon nearby, who all seem to be on the verge of death for some reason. "Dare I ask what happened to them?" he muttered, pointing to his team.

Misty was the one who answered. "While Brock was busy trying to find the right food to feed your," her left eye twitched, "erhem, baby, someone has to watch out for her. The duty fell on their shoulders. Long story short: don't expect them to accept any babysitting jobs again anytime soon."

In a matter of minutes, Snivy handed Pichu back to her(? "I still can't believe it, and no one tells me how they figured it out!" Ash muttered.) "mother". May thanked the Grass Snake Pokémon, which Snivy accepted with pride, until May addressed her. "You should thank your Aunty Snivy, too, Pichu."

Actually, Snivy didn't mind getting called "Aunty". What actually did tick her off was Oshawott roaring and rolling in laughing fits because of the term. At first she seemed to ignore it, and, her back to Oshawott, instead wrapping a tissue around Pichu's eyes. Then she turned around, showing off that "looks could kill" type of glare, Vine Whips at the ready. It was enough for Unfezant, Pignite, Boldore and even _Charizard_ to back away (far, far, far, _FAR_ away) from Oshawott. They all turned away, eyes closed and wincing before the carnage could even begin.

May finished her meal in record time (which was no means an easy fit, since there are three stacks of empty plates next to and towering over her), to the amazement of her companions. "I would have gone for seconds, but everyone's expecting me to put on a show," she said nonchalantly while dabbing her lips with a napkin. She stood up, stroked her baby on the head, then went off to prepare her act. "You guys keep an eye on her, keep her out of trouble, okay?" she asked the Pokémon (minus Oshawott; R.I.P. the poor[?] soul). "I'll be back as soon as I finish."

Seeing his sister take off, Max shook his head. "Truth be told, I never actually saw her practicing her routine, if there was any at all," he muttered.

Following his gaze, Ash was more faithful towards May's talent. "Oh, I'm sure she practiced it actually. I didn't get to see it myself, but I'm sure it's great." It was only when he finished talking did he realize that the guys were all giving him smirks and strange looks. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"You seem pretty confident about May's abilities, Ash," Brock observed. At first he was stoic and nonchalant; then he burst into tears. A waterfall of tears that would put Ash's Torkoal to shame. "Once again, I say this, I'm so, SO proud of you, my apprentice!" And then he took this as an opportunity. "Now, if you wish to share your secrets, then I'll-"

"Not happening," everyone, not just Ash, said in unison (the Pokémon, including an odd, scalchop-shaped tombstone in close proximity, chimed in; presumably, they were all saying the same thing). And Brock started crying again, for a completely different reason.

"I'm just saying," Ash quipped, ignoring Brock, "that I've been witness to May's talent as a Coordinator before, and it was a long time ago. I'm sure she's developed her skills further since then." This time it was the female half who are giving him smirks and strange looks.


End file.
